I Dream of a Blue Christmas
by Rurouni Tyriel
Summary: (COMPLETED) A Kurmanda romance, just in time for the Holidays. No villains, unless you count typical holiday stress as Kurt deals with trying to find his girlfriend the perfect present. Includes mention of other couples and holiday-goers.
1. I

**Disclaimer:**

I don't own X-Men Evolution, though I wish I did.  If I did, I'd bring it back for not just a fifth season, but a sixth, seventh, and eighth.  With seventeen episodes per season, just like season two.  And that's just the beginning.  Would if I could, but I can't so I won't.

**Summary:**

A nice fluff-filled romance, just in time for the holidays.  Kurt/Amanda, with a few references to other couples and holiday-goers later on.  Much shorter than most of my previous works. No villains, unless you count typical holiday stress as Kurt deals with Amanda's parents and the hassle of trying to find his girlfriend the perfect present.  Minor reference to previous stories 'Nullification' and 'Weapon X24.'  Does not require reading of said stories.  Takes place roughly after 'Ascension, part II.'

Kurt Wagner sighed, fidgeting, one hand adjusting the tie that was painfully wrapped around his neck.  Like a noose, he thought morbidly.  Then he pushed the thought out of his head.  Now was most diffidently not the time to have such thoughts.  He needed his absolute best image.

This was, after all, a second chance.

Second chances in life were very, very rare occurrences.  And the chance of a third was practically non-existent.  He couldn't afford to screw up this one by any stretch of the imagination.

Because if he did, he might never see Amanda again.

So Kurt had strived to put on the best possible image for her parents.  After getting back from school he'd showered at least twice, once to get clean, twice out of nervousness and the nagging doubt he'd missed something.  His hair was freshly cut by the local Institute barber, known to some as Storm and others as Ororo Munroe.  Kurt's fur, like Hank's thankfully never grew to unseemly length, save in the winter when both of them developed winter coats.  They shed in the spring, and Kurt received no end of good-nature ribbing because of it.  The hair on his head grew in the manner of normal teenagers.  Those matters taken care of, he'd sealed himself in his room for private preparations.  He was pretty sure he'd worn Opa's brushes down to the handle the way he'd brushed every single last bit of loose fur from his hide, from head to toe.  And then had come the most difficult of choices.

Clothing had been harder, finding something that worked for both his holographic and regular self.  Amanda hadn't been able to give many details when she'd extended the invitation, but Kurt knew what was up.  Her parents knew, after all.  Then he'd added a number of good natured curses to rain down the head on a certain slimy toad he knew.  He took care not to voice them aloud, for fear of Logan hearing, but any telepaths wandering past his room would be sent scurrying for cover.

In the end he'd been forced to wear the same dark-blue formal suit he'd worn during their last unfortunate encounter.  With the lighter blue shirt underneath and dark slacks.  His feet were bare, but a quick adjusting of his holowatch made them appeared covered with shoes and socks.  Kurt fidgeted with his tie again, praying silently to any divine being who might be listening for help.

Reluctantly, he rang the doorbell.

To Kurt's surprise, it wasn't Amanda that answer, but her father, Mr. Sefton.  Then again, that only made sense, he supposed.  He wasn't smiling, like he'd been when they first met.  In fact he seemed almost angry, though he tried to hide it.  He made his way aside to let Kurt in, who slinked in, withering under that gaze of his beloved's father.

"Guten nac... er, I mean... good evening," said Kurt, already stumbling over his words.  It was his habit when he got nervous.  And if he'd thought his last encounter had made him nervous now he truly knew the meaning of terror.

To his relief, Mr. Sefton barely paid any notice to Kurt as he made his way into the living room.  Mrs. Sefton was there as well, seated on the couch, a cup of warm tea in her hands.  She looked more nervous than angry as she regarded Kurt.  Confused, almost.  Like she didn't know what to make of him anymore.  Kurt was thankful in a way for that.

"Kurt!"

The blue-furred mutant turned and saw to his vast relief that Amanda had arrived.  She was rapidly descending the stairs, dressed in a red and green ensemble that, had it not just turned into December, would have looked downright tasteless.  But like anything his dark-skinned liebchen wore, Kurt found beautiful.  She descended down the stairs like an angel from heaven.  Normally the two would've shared a hug, at the very least, but not with Amanda's parents watching.  As it was, she awkwardly stopped herself a foot or so away.  To judge from her chocolate-brown eyes, she was fighting the urge to run over and glomp him.  It made him smile.

"I'm glad you could come," she managed, taking his arm and gently escorting her boyfriend into the living room.  She could feel the tension in Kurt's arm.  It was taking everything in him not to bolt here and now, like he'd done the night Toad had exposed him.  Doing it all for her sake.

"Yes Kurt please, come in... sit down," said Amanda's mother, gesturing at a chair across from the couch with her and her husband.  Kurt reluctantly did so, careful not to slouch or hunch forward, as was his habit.  His body structure the way it was, it was sometimes hard for him not to, but now was not the time to give in.  So he kept his back painfully straight, glancing between Mr. and Mrs. Sefton, though careful not to keep their gaze or look like he was staring them down.  Amanda slid onto the armrest next to Kurt, one arm draped around his shoulders and giving a comforting, warm squeeze.  Kurt's hand reached across his chest to find hers, intertwining their fingers.

The gesture did not go unnoticed by either of Amanda's parents.

"Kurt... I think we should start," began Mr. Sefton, leaning forward.  "We've invited you here tonight just to talk.  You don't have to stay if you don't like what you're going to hear, but we'd like to settle this reasonably.  Like adults."

"Ja," replied Kurt.  "I vould also like zis."

"But we're going to be honest and do this like adults... with no secrets," stated Mr. Sefton, his voice dark as he indicated Kurt.  Or, not himself, realized the German boy.  His wrist.  The holowatch.

"I..." he said, hesitating as he laid his hand over his holowatch.  Protectively.

"We're not scared Kurt," stated Mrs. Sefton in very quiet tones, placing her tea down on the low table in front of her.

"But if you ever expect to see Amanda again," added Mr. Sefton. "We need to know what you really look like under that... hologram, or whatever it is."

Kurt sighed, closing his eyes, and braced himself.  He could imagine what was going to happen.  This was, after all, going to be their first clear look at Kurt.  The last time he'd been over for dinner, after his holowatch was stolen, he'd teleported away almost instantly, leaving Amanda behind to explain what had happened.  He'd immediately regretted it, cursing himself for leaving his girlfriend alone like that, running out and leaving her to explain all that without him present.  But he couldn't go back, at the time.  It would've been that much harder on them all.  So he'd waited and met her later in the park, when Amanda had told him that she'd been forbidden to see him.  And that she still wanted to, regardless.

He could well imagine what was going to happen.  Amanda's mother might scream, her father might curse or call on God.  They'd ask what was wrong with him, how he'd come to be like he was.  A torrent of questions would follow.  They might even call a priest to try and exorcise him.  Or at the very least douse him with holy water.  He doubted he'd be lashed to a stake and burned, this wasn't Winzeldorf after all.  But still, Americans were in some ways just as fearful and hate-filled of that they didn't understand as the provincial superstitious villages in the area of Germany he'd come from.

Amanda squeezed his hand again, gently, and her strength seemed to flow into him.  He squeezed the requisite buttons on his holowatch.

Kurt's image shimmered, vanishing, replaced by his true form.  That of a blue-furred, pointy-eared and pointy-tailed demon.  He kept his eyes closed, bracing himself.  However, when all he heard was a soft gasp, he peeked open his now visibly yellow eyes.

The gasp had come from Mrs. Sefton, who had a hand over her mouth to stifle it.  Yet she didn't look entirely horrified.  She looked almost... sorry.  Mr. Sefton's reaction was surprise as well, his eyebrows had almost shot up into the short dark hair of his forehead, but he quickly got that under control, and then his expression became unreadable.  Kurt did his absolute best to keep his expression one of peace.

"Mom, Dad," stated Amanda quietly.  "This is what Kurt really looks like.  He wears his holowatch so he can attend school like a normal person, just like I do."

"Ja... I'm... I'm really sorry you had to find out... like you did," he added, sinking low into the chair.  He wished he could teleport away.  Or borrow Kitty's power and just sink into the ground.  Anything was better than those staring eyes of both the Seftons as they took in the whole of his physical differences.

To his surprise, Amanda's mother... Kurt dimly recalled her name given name was Margali... scooted forward, stretching out a curious hand towards Kurt.

"It is fur..." she whispered softly.  She wasn't speaking to Kurt per se, more confirming aloud her own suspicions.  "Is it soft?" she asked, directing her question as much to Amanda as to Kurt.

Kurt, stunned, couldn't manage to find a reply.  This was, however, decidedly better than being screamed at and lynched.

"Sure Mom," replied Amanda, a little uneasily.

"You can touch it, if you want," said Kurt quietly when he'd recovered his wits, rolling up his sleeve and offering his now half-bare arm to the equally surprised Mrs. Sefton.  "Really, I don't mind... I like being petted," he added with a smile.

Margali hesitantly reached out, running her fingers gently along Kurt's arm, marveling at the fur that covered it.  It was soft as down, a little thicker than a cat's coat but she suspected that was because it was so very cold outside.  Margali had worked as a veterinary doctor for many years before she married.  She loved animals.  But, she decided as she sat back on the couch, Kurt was most decidedly -not- an animal.

No animals had eyes like those.  They were too human.

"Kurt, I... we..." she added, daring a look at her husband for approval briefly.  He nodded.  "We want to apologize.  What happened that night was not your fault.  Amanda explained that the... thief... was no friend of yours.  We believe you now."

"I am still very sorry for the damages," Kurt intoned softly, lowering his eyes.  He was still ashamed about all the trouble he'd caused.  Even if most of it had been fending Toad off.

"Don't be," replied Mr. Sefton, losing his dour disposition for the first time since the evening had begun.  "Your guardian repaid everything that was broken, and I admit, you saved the most valuable item from getting broken in the first place," he said, pointing to the low table to Kurt's right, near the window.  There, resting on it, was the same blue vase that Kurt had managed to preserve through the fight.  To his surprise, it was filled with pretty bluebonnet flowers.  Kurt didn't need to look far to see the person who'd chosen them.

"We weren't thinking straight when we forbade Amanda from seeing you anymore," said Mrs. Sefton.  "Mutations was new, people were scared and confused.  Even us," she added shamefully.  "We didn't know what to think... but we hope you can forgive us and... start over?" she asked, standing and extending her hand to him.

Kurt hesitated, slipping to his feet, then took her hand.  He smiled broadly as they shook, his normal "elf-grin" in place.  "Ja.  Ist alvays better to have friends than enemies."

"Oh look," remarked Amanda, her voice soft.  All eyes snapped to follow her finger as she pointed out the window.  Ivory snowflakes were falling from the dark blue sky of early evening.  It was snowing.

"Does this mean you'll be leaving me to go work with Santa soon?" Amanda joked, grinning playfully at her boyfriend as she tweaked a pointed ear.  He chuckled openly with her, as the two adults did.  Warm, heartfelt laughter.  No hatred, no fear, no screaming.

Kurt silently thanked whatever divine being had listened and heard his earlier pleas.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"That was so embarrassing," remarked Amanda, her cheeks rosy.  Partially from embarrassment, partially from the cold.  A pink scarf had been wrapped around her neck and the lower part of her face, and she'd donned her favorite blue winter jacket as she and Kurt made their way back to the Institute.  Kurt wore the same light jacket, as his fur kept him better insulated, though he wished he'd born his uniform boots for his feet.  He'd turned back on his holowatch after he'd left the Seftons.  They might be accepting, but he doubted many others in the neighborhood were the same way.

They walked arm in arm, happy, content and, above all, grateful they didn't need to keep glancing over their shoulders.  Amanda's parents had, after the long discussion, agreed to allow Kurt and Amanda to continue to date.  They'd been only marginally surprised to find out they'd been secretly seeing one another.  Apparently the elder Seftons had shared a similar habit back when they'd been younger.  They'd understood, and they'd accepted.

Then of course had come the questions.

"Vhat part?" teased Kurt.  "Vhen your muzzer asked how far my fur went...?  Or vhen Herr Sefton commented on how useful meine tail must be in Gym class."

"Both!" she huffed in mock indignation.  "All of them... those were some pretty personal questions they were asking," she said as she walked along.  The snow was falling lightly, melting practically the instant it hit the ground.  Which, for most, meant no closed schools and no traffic delays.  Kurt smiled and leaned against Amanda more as they walked, squeezing her shoulders gently.

"Considering I'm usually greeted in my true form by a stake or holy water, I think that went rather well," he whispered into her ear, teasing her again.  She giggled softly, smiling and nodding her head gently.

All too soon their walk ended, and they found themselves gazing up at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters.  The gates were closed and electronically locked.  An unfortunate necessity with all the roving gangs of punks and mutant-haters.  Reluctantly Kurt tapped the button for entrance and spoke his name, accent and all.  The gates swung open as he turned back to face his girlfriend.

"Vell, I guess I'll see you tomorrow?" he said with a smile.

"Diffidently," she replied, leaning in as they shared a very warm embrace, drawing on each other for strength and warmth.  Kurt purred softly, nuzzling his furry cheek against Amanda's, making her coo contently.  Reluctantly, they departed.

"Take care, meine schlone liebchen," he whispered, planting a soft farewell kiss on her forehead and biding her farewell.  Amanda reluctantly turned to begin her short walk home, hands jammed into the pockets of her coat as the night grew longer and colder.  Kurt closed the gate and 'ported directly into his room, shrugging off his coat and dusting the snow out of his hair.  He shivered a little, but it wasn't because of the cold.

He... was... -so-... happy.

For a few moments he was cheering, bouncing up and down and off the walls, one hyperactive little fuzzball elf.  His beloved cared for him, her parents accepted him, Rogue was better, and it was the Holiday season.  Life could not be more perfect, he thought.  Now he and Amanda could be together, always and forever.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One week later.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"KU-URT!" squealed Amanda, as the tiny snowball struck her again, unerringly, between the shoulder blades.  It didn't hurt, nothing Kurt ever sent her way did.  But the icy cold snow tickled her mercilessly.  She immediately turned and launched her own, much larger snowballs at their ever-elusive target.  But, as always, they missed.  He was long gone, with only a whiff of sulfur where he'd once stood.

"Get back here you fuzzy little elf!" she hollered.  She wasn't angry, and they both knew it.  It was just a game they played.  Pretend-fights were so much nicer than real ones.

"No vay, liebchen," came a playful shout from behind a snowdrift.  "'Ave to catch tha leprechaun before he gives ya 'is gold!" he added with a playful (and obviously fake) Irish accent.  Amanda giggled again, diving over the snowdrift but, again, she was rewarded with empty hands and a snowball striking her in the butt.  She gasped, leaping up nearly six feet in the air in shock and glancing back.  To her surprise, he was there this time, with a look of absolute innocence on his face.

It never failed to amaze her, how a face that could, when its owner was angry, could look so demonic could also, when he was like that, look so insufferably, so detestably, so incredibly...

Cuuuuuuuute.

Amanda giggled, brushing off her posterior as she planted her hands on her hips in mock annoyance.  Stifling her giggles she twisted her face into a exaggerated pout.

"Kurt Michael Wagner," she yelled.  "I am going to nail your furry hide above my bedroom door!"  A rain of snowballs followed after.  Kurt could have simply 'ported aside, but he took delight in using his acrobatic grace to dodge them instead.  Though he never would have voice it aloud, Amanda was a most horrible shot.  A little real anger and frustration coming out now she took her last snowball and just charged Kurt where he stood, underneath the barren branches of a tree.

She was practically at point blank range.  There was no way she could miss.  Yet when she flung the snowball he vanished in a puff of sulfurous smoke and a muffled 'bamf.'  She grumbled, kicking the snow.  Then suddenly she felt very hot air against the back of her neck, and realized he hadn't 'ported as far as she imagined he would.

"You're out of ammo," he whispered into her ear softly.  Almost seductively.  Amanda smiled.  Oh, this was his game now, hmmm?  Well, she knew how to play it too.  It was their favorite.  Slowly, the dark-haired girl turned to face Kurt.  To her surprise, he was dangling upside down from the tree branch, his eyes meeting hers.  He was hanging from his tail.  Amanda smiled a ten-factor smile.  That sort that could reduce fuzzy elves to jelly in no time.

"I have other weapons," she whispered back seductively.  "Like my feminine wiles.  You have no defense against those."

"Curse you women and your feminine wiles," he intoned softly, though his expression bespoke his thoughts lay in the opposite direction.

"You know you love them," replied Amanda, leaning in closer.  Hesitantly, slowly, their lips met, sealed against one another in a brief, chaste kiss.  They never went any deeper than that.  Kurt had been raised to proper a gentleman, and Amanda was too downright shy.  In this aspect, at least.

Kurt teleported again, vanishing again.  Then with a whoop and a wild cry the blue-furred elf slammed into Amanda from behind, rolling as he brought the two of them to the ground so he would take the brunt of their fall.  As it was, Amanda fell right into a snug carpet of velvet fur and only the smallest of soft winter coats.  Kurt's fur kept him warm, yes, but not perfectly dry.  Thus, even he wore winter wear when it snowed.  And this winter there was snow in abundance.  The entire place was blanketed in the ivory stuff, and apart from the odd snowball fight, it was always perfectly quiet.

Like right now.  Amanda and Kurt just lay there, Kurt's arms around Amanda's shoulders as they stared up at the sky.  It was overcast, not a shadow showed on the ground, not the sun in the sky.  But it carried its own splendor.

"Its so beautiful," remarked Kurt quietly.  Amanda, comfortably nestled into his side, shifted her head to lie more comfortably against his chest, nodding in agreement.  His tail had snaked its way up between them and she idly clasped it between her fingers, playing with it.  She held it loosely, knowing how sensitive it was, in case he wanted to withdraw it from her fingers.

He sighed, or rather purred, smiling like a great big Cheshire cat.  He made no move to remove his tail from her grip.  And so the two of them lay there, content despite the cold, snuggled up against one another for warmth and comfort.

Amanda was the one who broke the silence.

"I could lie here forever," she stated firmly.  A coy smile graced her lips as she lay back, eyes closed.

"Ja," he agreed.  "Do you ever wonder about the future?" he asked her idly.

"A little... what do you mean?" Amanda asked, snuggling up close against him.

"I mean... us..." he replied, hesitating at the last word.  Amanda stiffened just a fraction in his embrace.

"Kurt...?" she asked.  Belatedly she shifted, sitting partially up so she could face him, lying on her side.

"I mean... vell, its nice that your parents have accepted me, but..."

"You're worried about the rest of the world," said Amanda, correctly surmising what her boyfriends fear was.  She was mildly relieved, at the mention of 'us' she'd been half-scared to death he wanted to break up.  This was, while not good, better than that.

Amanda sighed, drawing Kurt into a very warm embrace, squeezing him like a great big plush doll in her loving arms.

"Kurt everything will be fine.  The people we care about don't care about something stupid like this... a mutant and a human dating," she said, smiling down at him.  Her ebon locks flowed down around her head, and she belatedly brushed them behind one ear.

"Mutant and -latent- mutant," he teased, nudging her side playfully.  She giggled, nodding.  They'd found out a short while ago, about Amanda's latent x-gene.  Hank had, after examining a blood sample, confirmed it.  Basically, though she had no powers, the potential for them to manifest in future generations was more likely than if she didn't have one.  Like all gene-passing, there was a large fraction of her offspring's genetic code was chance.

"Ja, I guess you're right..." he said at last.  "I just don't want to put you through that.  I mean, zere vas already zat jerk at the concert who recognized me from school.  I almost vould've been happier if he'd thrown his hotdog at me instead of you..." he added sadly.

He did not add how it had hurt him even worse when he'd been called a freak, and his girlfriend a whore for sleeping with a freak.  He imagine it would've been worse if anyone at school had ever seen his true form.  As it was, all they knew was he was a mutant, and he could teleport.  They'd found that out easily enough after the school board meeting.

"Awwww," she cooed.  Partly in sadness that he thought so little of himself, partly proud that he would've been so brave and selfless for her.  "Kurt, my family approves, your family approves, your friends here all support us.  That one jerk we don't need to worry about..."  Kurt smiled softly, nodding.  Suddenly his smile vanished, however.  Of course, he thought.  Damn, I should've handled this before.  But everything has been so confusing lately...

"Kurt?  Is something wrong?"

"Not... exactly..." he replied delicately.  This was a delicate subject after all.  Kurt sat up, and Amanda slid off him, her brown eyes watching him, searching for a clue as to what troubled him now.  His tail was very still.  It was something bad.  "Amanda... I... I need to show you something..." he said, taking her hand.

Amanda nodded, knowing what he meant, and willingly put her hand in his, letting her fingers coil around his palm.  She smiled, holding her breath and closing her eyes.  It made teleporting easier, though it could not perfectly remove the sense of nausea.  Still, she could put up with it.  Just like the fur she occasionally found sticking to her shirt.

Kurt closed his eyes, and the grounded slipped away...

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurt and Amanda reappeared in roughly the same position on the other side of the Institute, deep in the woods that surrounded that particular part of the Institute grounds. On a particular rock that Kurt had already shown Amanda once before.

His church.

Kurt had found the spot shortly after moving to the Institute.  The people back in his hometown of Heirelgart had not minded sharing their pews with a blue-furry elf, considering what some of the other inhabitants were like.  In other places of Germany and especially in America Kurt had found it was not the same. Thus, he'd found his own church. His own place to pray, and speak (or argue) with God.

Kurt leaned back and gracefully flipped up onto his feet. Amanda crawled up less gracefully into a standing position as he leaned forward, brushing away some of the snow around the stone, apparently searching for something buried beneath it.

"You remember I told you I vas adopted," he stated slowly. "That meine parents in Germany, and meine schwesters, weren't really mine."

Amanda nodded, not knowing quite what to say.

"Vell, its a tiny bit more complicated than that..." he said quietly. He paused in his task, turning to face her more fully. His blue face was deathly solemn, and Amanda was now even a little fearful as she listened to him. "You see... a year or so ago... ve found meine muzzer. Meine birth muzzer," he added quietly.

This confused Amanda even more. Wouldn't that be a good thing, to find one's mother? Evidently not, to judge by Kurt's expression. He didn't look happy at all. He looked... downright morose. "What happened?" she asked, her whisper-quiet voice barely heard over the rustle of the wind through the tree branches.

"It..." he started off, but paused, shook his head, and started over. "I'd been dreaming about it most of my life, since I learned I was adopted at age six. My parents never kept it a secret from me, and I knew they loved me regardless. But still, I dreamed about my Muzzer and Fazzer, and what they vere like. But... then... vell, Rogue was having zis strange dream. I explained how schwester Rogue's powers work, right?"

Amanda nodded again. She sat down on the stone rock behind her, hands clasped in her lap.

"Vell, she had this dream about a woman, who dropped a baby in a river... who vas later rescued. Zat baby vas me. But the dream was Rogue's because she'd absorbed it from... from ze voman who vas meine muzzer. Though I'd known the woman, I hadn't realized who she truly vas until she herself told me."

"Who was it?" asked Amanda quietly.

"Mystique," replied Kurt. A shiver ran down Amanda's spine, as her eyes opened wide in shock. Kurt had, at length, explained to Amanda about the other people at the Institute. How they were all mutants, how they had powers unique and different from his own. He'd told her about the Brotherhood, that they were mutants as well. About Magneto, who believed a war was coming. About Mystique being Principal Darkholme. About the Sentinels and their fanatic creator, Trask. And about other mutants they fought and why they fought. For Xavier's dream, ironically symbolized most perfectly by Kurt and Amanda themselves.

"But... she..." started Amanda.

"Vas our enemy," interjected Kurt softly, nodding. "Ja. Ve never got a chance to make peace with one another either. Not after..." and here he choked, his throat constricting as emotion overwhelmed him. Amanda, seeing this, reached out, laying a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Kurt, you don't need to go on..." she whispered tenderly.

"You deserve to know this," his voice equally soft. And a little hard to distinguish. When he mumbled his short pointed teeth tended to make it more difficult for people to make out what he was saying. "Mystique vas... vorking for Apocalypse..."

"That mutant who tried to, uhm... destroy us normal humans?" she asked for clarification. It was all in the news, though a great number of facts were being greatly distorted. Like mutant conspiracies, secret armies, government cover-ups, and the like.

"Ja, kinda," he settled with, not wanting to tell her the whole story. "She took schwester Rogue to him, to free him from his prison up in the Himalayas.... I mentioned that before, right?"

"Yeah, you came to me a few weeks afterwards... you were really upset for Rogue..."

"That vasn't vhy I came to you," he replied softly. He didn't mean to be so blunt but he wanted to be honest. He hated himself that night. Clinging to Amanda in the park, clinging to her for warmth, for strength, for comfort. He hadn't spoken a word, and neither had she. Just stroked his dark blue hair and patted his back in the way that always comforted him. The next day his smile had been back in place, and after another few weeks he'd even begun to wear it sincerely. Amanda had forgotten about the incident, but Kurt hadn't. Now he had to set things straight.

"Vhen Mystique took Rogue to Apocalypse, she vas betrayed... turned to stone," he said quietly. He paused a moment to allow the shock to settle in, and boy did it ever. Had anyone but Kurt told Amanda, she would've scoffed. There was no snake-haired Medusa that turned people to stone. But since meeting Kurt she'd seen, and heard of far stranger things. Mutants in costumes fighting super-villains. Sounded like something out of the comic books she'd loved to read as a kid.

Now she truly believed she was capable of believing anything. And then it fully impacted upon her... Kurt's mother...

Her hands came up to cover her mouth as she gasped in shock.

"Nein, nein... it vasn't her exactly," he said. "I don't understand it myself either, but she... she vas still alive. But she vas the slave of Apocalypse. Zat vas... ve found out shortly before... before that night I said good-bye," he added quietly.

Amanda sat down, and Kurt joined her, helping comfort her while she processed all the information. That night had been very dear to Kurt at the time. And Amanda as well. She'd been a little downright shocked at the time, of course, when Kurt had teleported directly into her bedroom. He'd never done that before. Even the few times he'd come to her house, after being forbidden by her parents, he'd appeared outside, tapped the window, and waited to be invited in. Despite his flirting and his playfulness he remained, at the core, a gentleman.

Thus, appearing right in front of her, he'd startled even her. He hadn't stayed long, and told her as much. He'd needed to go and get their mutual friend Evan, so he told her. Then he'd just hugged her, and whispered 'Auf Wiedersehen, Liebchen' into her ear. And with that, he was gone. Confused, she'd consulted a English-German dictionary (a must have with her new boyfriend) and started to translate before her parents called her down for the breaking news. All sorts of strange stuff going on, all over the world. Nobody knew what was going on until after the fact, when the President had made his speech, saying how disaster had been averted.

Kurt had been one to give her more details of the battle against Apocalypse, at the pyramids and the Sphinx. How mutants all over the world had come to help, even the Brotherhood (whom Amanda had only ever known from High school, and hadn't known very well since she, like most students, had avoided them) and they'd saved the world. Kurt had mentioned fighting against minions of Apocalypse, but before he'd always been vague about what sort of minions they were. Now Amanda knew. She'd always been very smart at figuring things out.

Kurt had been fighting his own mother.

"I'm so sorry, Kurt," she said softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and drawing him in close. She laid her head atop of his as he rested against her shoulder, and they just held each other like that for a short while.

"Mystique is alive but... she isn't a muzzer, really. To me or... or to Rogue," stated Kurt. His tone was quiet, but there was a certain conviction behind his words. Amanda was a little surprised to find that Rogue was connected to Kurt by Mystique, but she decided to save her questions for another date. He needed her now.

"Why did you tell me this?" asked Amanda softly. She leaned her head back as Kurt's own rose, their faces only a few inches apart. His soft yellow eyes, which shifted like liquid gold, met hers, dark as chocolate.

"Because I vant you to know vhat meine family is like. I don't know about meine fazzer... my real one, I mean. Muzzer never told me. But... I vanted to honor her... so..." he paused then, deciding actions spoke louder than words, and clambered down off the rock, brushing aside the snow and directing Amanda's attention to what lay beneath.

A crude, smaller stone, a rough triangular shape. All in all rather unremarkable. But written on the side in charcoal was what gave it significance. 'Raven Darkholme, Mystique. Birth: Unknown. Death: August 30, 2003.'

"That vas vhen the statue shattered, and I gave up hope of ever reuniting with meine muzzer," explained Kurt, as he crouched down to brush the snow from the crude headstone. "I buried the fragments here." He did not add how the statue's fate had been ended. Or who had done it. He'd forgiven her, after all. "Now my muzzer is gone... and only Mystique is left."

Amanda slipped off the rock and sat down beside Kurt. Then, tenderly, she wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing herself against his back, her cheek rubbing against his furry neck as she sighed contently.

"Kurt... this obviously means a lot to you," she whispered tenderly. "Thank you for... for letting me in."

Kurt sighed softly, leaning back. All the pain, all the trials in his life, all of it was worth this. To be held in the arms of a woman whom not only did he love with all his heart, but who loved him back just as passionately. Smiling, he turned in her embrace, kissing her softly on the cheek as the two of them pressed against one another.

Around them, the wind howled and blew, and a few light snowflakes fell. Neither of them noticed, so enwrapped were they with one another.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurt and Amanda were being watched.

The two lovebirds were being spied upon by another kind of bird. A dark raven, black as coal. She tilted her head, gazing at them across her long black beak with cold, yellow eyes. The same yellow-gold color as Kurt's eyes, but with a black reptilian slit marring the otherwise perfect form of the bird.

Mystique had heard, seen, everything. Her son, in love with a human, telling her all about his 'wicked, evil' mother. How she'd abandoned him, not she'd lost him. How she'd left him behind to protect him from Magneto. But he didn't know, she supposed. She'd never gotten to tell him. Again Magneto had interfered. Mystique shifted that priority further up her list of revenge. It was a long one. No one wronged her... discarded her... or used her... and got away with it.

She sighed, a very un-bird-like motion, though it went unnoticed by the young couple below. They were in a frantic embrace, kissing like they never wanted it to end, half lying on the great big stone in the clearing. Superimposed over the image, Mystique could see herself, and her beloved Eric, lying on a similar position over a similar rock in the woods of Austria. In many ways he'd been a perfect gentleman, as his station as a Count had required of him. In many ways just as much of a flirt and a rogue as his son was. Mystique, seeing the memories before her, re-enacted by her son and the human girl, couldn't stifle a tear that came to her yellow eye. It trickled down along the short black feathers of her face, drying quickly in the icy air.

Lifting her wings and giving a characteristic raven's cry, she flew off. She couldn't bear to see them anymore. She couldn't bear to see that Kurt was happy with a sniveling, weak, ordinary human.

She couldn't bear to see that someone loved him more than she did.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I love you," whispered Kurt softly, kissing Amanda's forehead again tenderly.

"I love you more," she replied, playfully running her nimble fingers through his dark blue hair. It was one of the many games they played, though neither had ever won a single one.

"I'd give you the stars, I love you so much," he intoned softly, gazing up at the sky. It was still cloudy and overcast, and rapidly becoming darker. They had maybe an hour or so more before they would have to head inside.

"I love you times infinity!" she declared teasingly, her eyes half-closed as she kissed him again, her soft lips brushing against his briefly.

"I love you more," he whispered, his brain too slowed to think of anything poetic to add. All he could think about were those beautiful big eyes and those soft, honey-sweet lips. Her love was intoxicating. And so he surrendered, partially, to his teenager hormones and kissed her full on the lips, as the two lay on their sides, lips sealed. His hands did not stray anywhere inappropriate, despite his longing to caress her curvaceous form. She put any and every super model he'd ever seen to shame with her beautiful body. But he respected her too much to grope at her like some lusty animal.

Their lips reluctantly parted, and she smiled up at him.  Siitting up, her eyes darted skywards briefly, as she seemed to notice the time. "I should be going," she whispered softly. She didn't look anxious to say those words. If anything she looked sad. But Kurt nodded, squeezing her close briefly before bidding her farewell.

"Vill I see you again tomorrow?" he asked.

"I can't, Kurt," she replied with a strained smile. "My grandparents are coming in tomorrow... I'm meeting them at the airport with my parents."

"Vell, okay," he said quietly, lowering his head, allowing his bluish bangs to obscure his eyes. Amanda giggled, blowing him a kiss.

"I'll see you soon, Kurt... and don't worry, I've got an extra-special Christmas present for you!" she stated as she ran off into the snow, deliberately teasing him as she hurried to get home before it got any later.

"Me too!" he called out to her as she vanished between the trees, then immediately wished he hadn't. He'd completely forgotten, though admittedly his mind had been on a number of other things.  Avoiding being crushed, blown up, blasted and the like by Apocalypse, Lousiana thieves and even the Brotherhood. And it was already the 17th. One week to find his girlfriend the perfect present?

Kurt realized he had a more difficult task than if he had to take down a rampaging Juggernaut.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Author's Notes:**

Awww, isn't it cute? Please tell me it is. I hope everyone enjoyed my portrayal of the Seftons, and my near-last-minute decision to make Amanda's mother Margali a vet. I doubt her comic version would approve, but she can't stop me. The post-snowball fight upside-down kiss (say that five times fast) was of course inspired by the Spider-Man movie. Amanda being a latent mutant is a subtle nod to 'Nullification.' Yet another reference to Internutter's many stories about Kurt and his private church. Thank you, Internutter. ^_^ The idea that Kurt's father was an Austrian count named Eric is roughly based on the explanation from TAS. I'd rather not get into the whole idea about Kurt's real dad being a red, actually-from-hell demon. But I am aware of Azazel, before anyone corrects me. Mystique's grave is a subtle reference to 'Weapon X24' and the date is the airdate of Impact, actually. The plot thickens, I am welcome to hear suggestions for what they think Kurt's present is going to be. And for that matter, Amanda's.

Kinomi: Danke fraulein, for being so kind to be my beta-reader.  And grammar instructor.  Hehe.


	2. II

**II**

Kurt sat in his room, Indian style, atop his bed. Upon his covers, strewn out before him, lay a vast collection of pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, and bills of every denomination. Including, he noted upon counting, a Canadian penny. What was it about those that they continued to turn up in his change?

Total amount: fifty-seven dollars and fifty-six cents. Not nearly enough for any sort of decent gift for his girlfriend, though Kurt as he neatly folded up the dollar bills and organized his coins into rolls. Curse the Gut Bomb, he thought light-heartedly. His addiction for their delicious food had has also eaten into his allowance. Kurt may not have been a business tycoon, but he knew the price of gifts, and they'd be even higher nowadays, with the Holidays nearly upon them.

Thus, it was time to call in some favors.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Sure," said Scott, reaching for his wallet and handing Kurt a bill. "Here's that twenty I owe you. What's it for, if I might ask?"

Scott was in his room, e-mailing his little brother Alex about their upcoming vacation. This year he was going to be spending the time with his brother and his adopted family down in Hawaii, where snow was all but unheard of except in the mountains. He'd be leaving in a few days, along with most of the other students. Kurt was staying home this year with his sister Rogue.

"Late Christmas present I forgot about," he replied, pocketing the twenty and mentally adding it to his perfect-gift-for-Amanda funds. Which basically meant everything he had. No expense was too great for her.

"Hope it wasn't mine," joked Scott. Kurt snickered.

"Nein, nein... got somethin' for you a long whiles back," Kurt replied.

"Hey if you see Kitty don't tell her where I am," he stated quietly, hunched over the laptop of his desk like he was committing a great crime. "I still owe her five bucks for that bet."

"Vhat bet?" asked Kurt, tilting his head.

"She bet me the Brotherhood wouldn't show up at the pyramids to help... and well, I kinda bet against her..." he added, blushing. Kurt chuckled, nodding, and closed the door to Scott's room. He was glad he hadn't made that bet himself, he would've lost it.

Whistling a merry tune, appropriate to the holidays, Kurt headed off to call in his next favor.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ahlright, ahlright, just let me find it, willya?"

Rogue's voice echoed up from underneath her bed, where she was currently crouched, searching for something. Kurt patiently stood to one side, twiddling with the ends of his beige over-shirt. Finally, the auburn and white haired locks of his sister emerged from the bed, and she stood, holding her hands a small block box.

She sat down on her bed, clicking it open and rummaging through it. Finally, she pulled out a five and slapped it down onto the bed next to her. This she repeated twice, and a third time.

"There ya go... one... two... three five dollars. For tha times ya bought me lunch," she stated, neatly handing the small pile of bills to her adopted brother. Kurt smiled, taking, again mentally adding them to his total. Getting better, he thought.

"Danke Rogue," he said, turning to exit.

"Who's it for?" she asked, 'causing him to stop in his tracks. "Give your big sister some credit, furrball. Ya forgot ta get someone a present, that's why ya'll're callin' in favors a week before Christmas day, right?"

"Ja," he replied. "For Amanda."

"Ah, that explains it," she replied with a smirk. "Whatcha' gettin' her? Don't worry I won't tell," she added quickly.

"Vell..." he fidgeting, his tail lashing about his legs. "To be honest I'm not yet sure... I've been thinking about it, but I can't decide."

"Trouble finding something just perfect for 'em?" asked Rogue, nodding her head in understanding.

"How did...?" he started.

Rogue pulled a lock of her white hair before her eyes, as if inspecting it. "Well, my hair ain't red, and Ah ain't a telepath... take a wild guess."

"You've had to do this before?" he asked.

The pale Goth gestured, indicating he should close the door so they had a mediocre of privacy. Not that it was easy, with one resident who walked through walls and two others who read minds, not to mention somebody who could smell lunch being cooked in the kitchen from sub-level twenty-three, nearly a hundred feet below. But it would do.

"Last Christmas, yeah... for... for Scott," she said softly, a blush coming to her normally ivory-pale cheeks. Kurt nodded. He'd known practically since Rogue had met Scott, not counting that time in Caldecott cemetery, that she'd had a crush on him. It had faded in time, especially after Jean had moved in to finally lay claim. Much like him and his crush on Kitty, which Rogue teased him mercilessly about.

"Ah wasn't sure what to get," she said quietly. "Ah must've spent hours in just about every sunglasses store in the city of Bayville," she added, smiling quietly. Kurt laughed at that, but not too loudly. He didn't want to interrupt.

"So in the end you got him a sweater... why?" he asked.

"Ah guess part of me realized, maybe, that we'd just never be anything more than friends... so ah got 'im somethin' simple. Something practical, no less," she replied. "Ah just wanted to get something he could really appreciate."

"I think you did," he replied. "He was wearing it last I saw him, actually."

"Really?" she asked, her expression brightening. "This ain't some foolish little prank of yours, is it?!"

"Nein, truth to God!" he swore, placing one hand flat in front of him and another up in the air as if he was holding the Bible and before a court, respectively.

Rogue smiled. "Ah'm glad," she said. "But for Amanda, Ah imagine ya want to find her somethin' more special than a sweater."

"Actually Rogue you've been a big help," he replied. "I'm sure I'll find something," he added, as he departed with a characteristic implosion of air.

Rogue grimaced, waving away the scent of sulfur. Silently she wished Kurt luck. Rogue had never known Amanda very well, since the two didn't have a great deal in common. But whenever she was around her annoying little brother he never failed to wear a smile on his face. True love like that was a rare thing. Even Kitty could never do for Kurt what Amanda had for him, and she was grateful. After all that had happened the past few years, with Magneto and the Sentinels and Mystique's 'death' and rebirth, Kurt deserved some happiness.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Kurt! I told you not to 'port in here like that!" shouted Kitty.

Thankfully Kurt hadn't seen anything, but she was wrapped in a pink towel, and her brown hair was dripping wet and hanging loosely around her shoulders. Obviously she'd finished her evening shower.

Kurt wasted no time in 'porting straight out, knocking on the door gently. "Sorry Keety! I just need to talk to you vhen you're done, I'll be in meine room."

Kitty grumbled, finishing her nightly ritual of brushing her hair down, working out the loose strands and making sure it was absolutely straight and smooth. She left it down during the evening, only pulling it up into her characteristic ponytail in the morning before breakfast. So, grabbing her pajamas and sliding into them, she made her way down the hallway to Kurt's room to find out what he wanted.

The door was unlocked and she made her way inside, but to her surprise the furry blue elf was nowhere to be found. And equally to her astonishment, she saw neatly spread out on his bed was a collection of coins and bills, all neatly laid out and arranged. The Fuzzy Dude was up to something. But it couldn't be Christmas shopping, she thought. It was too close to Christmas Eve. And it certainly wasn't for Chanukah, that was only three days away. It was waaaayyyy too late for that, plus Kurt wasn't Jewish. As far as Kitty knew, she was the only member of her faith at the Institute.

A muffled 'bamf' and the scent of sulfur made her whirl around to spot Kurt, who'd just 'ported into the room.

"Oh Keety, sorry I'm late... couldn't find Jamie," he stated, adding some of his coins and newly acquired dollar bills to the pile on the bed.

"Like, what's this all about Kurt?" she asked, crossing her arms. She was very tired, she'd had a particularly bad training session earlier today with Logan, and afterwards she'd been absolutely swamped in work trying to get things finished before Winter Break. She was looking forward to a nice, relaxing Chanukah with her parents.

"Sorry Keety, but I need a favor. I need to get back that money I loaned you for your school supplies. Look, normally I vouldn't ask, but..."

"No no, that's fine," she interrupted. "Just... what is all this about Kurt?"

"Ah... late Christmas present," he replied, grimacing. Kitty raised an eyebrow, giving a gentle 'go on' gesture. "For... Amanda," he added with a sigh.

"Oh..." said Kitty. "Can I help?"

"Nein, danke," he replied. "Just need to gather some things before I go looking for it... and..."

"Oh no, that's fine... wait here..." she replied, immediately turning and rushing towards the wall. She slid through it, as insubstantial as a ghost. A few short moments later she returned, eagerly placing two fresh, very crisp twenty dollar bills in his hands. Kurt was startled, this was much more than she owed him. He said as much.

"Oh keep it, Kurt... you can always pay me back later..."

"But Keety..."

"Keep it," she replied. "I remember all the times you casually lend out money to me, Scott, Sam, even Jamie. Even if we refused to take it. You kept saying 'no monetary bonds between friends.' Well enjoy, fuzzy, because you're my best friend and I wanna help you with this."

Kitty didn't get a chance to say anything more, because Kurt walked over and hugged her. She smiled, patting his back, and the two parted. It was a chaste, friendly hug, but the two were comfortable with one another now. They had their own 'special someone' each, but would still always remain good friends throughout. They shared a bond of friendship since their first days of the Institute.

"Just do me a favor, 'kay? If you spot Lance at the mall don't tell him what I got him, alright?" she asked. Kurt nodded. She'd shown him, her best friend, the gift she'd gotten Lance. The last thing she wanted now was for it to be spoiled. She intended to drop it off at the Brotherhood Boarding House on her way to the airport.

"Danke," he intoned, truly grateful. She nodded, stifling a yawn. Bidding one another good-night, Kitty again phased her way back to her room and collapsed on her bed, falling asleep almost instantly.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The last day of school was, to many, the previous day. The hallways were suspiciously empty of most ner'do'wells, who'd skipped the final day to get a head start on their Winter Break. However, every single member of the Institute students were present, as Professor X had no intention of letting them shrink from their responsibilities. Lance Alvers of the Brotherhood was also present, though none of his colleagues had decided to show themselves (two of them still being banned as they were, one more never having registered as a student in the first place).

Kurt had, while not actively avoided Amanda, not sought her out today as he normally did. During lunch or during their mutually shared classes. He'd claimed he was busy, which he supposed was true enough. He didn't want it to leak he hadn't actually found her a gift, especially after she'd obviously gone to all the trouble of finding him one.

Which led him back to a thought that had been nagging at the back of his mind most of last night, preventing him from sleeping. What -had- she gotten him? He wanted to get a gift for her, of course, but not something that outshone hers, or she'd feel bad. The last thing Kurt wanted to do was make Amanda feel bad. At the same time, he couldn't give her something insignificant, in case the opposite was true. He wracked his brain, trying to think if he'd been given any indication of what he might like. He hadn't said he needed anything recently to her. Not that he remembered, at any rate.

"Arrrgh," he grumbled softly, turning his attention back to his classwork. Last day was due to end any moment, but it couldn't come soon enough for him.

Evidently it couldn't for Mrs. Lawrence either.

"Alright guys," she said, giving a clap of her hands to draw the attention of the students who'd been engrossed in their activities. Which included a mix of actual work and a few slackers sharing gossip about the latest Matrix movie.

"I know you're all anxious to get out of here and enjoy your Winter Break. So come on up and turn in your papers and get the heck out of here!" she said with a big, happy smile on her face. In some ways she reminded Kurt of a grown-up Kitty, all energy and spunk. Her hair, though cut short, was brown like Kitty's, and helped to create the illusion.

Still, Kurt did not ponder his good fortune, and was among the first to grab his pack and turn in his paper, slinging his back over one shoulder and take off down the hallway. Most of the other classes had yet to get out, not having such generous teachers, and the halls were deathly silent as he made his way to his locker, grabbed his things, and 'ported off of the school grounds.

Time for shopping.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurt popped back into existence atop of the Bayville Mall, in the back above the dumpsters. He'd once teleported onto the ground directly, but he'd once run into some of the workers down there, and had to make a run for it. Now he took a look before he climbed down.

Thankfully no one was there, and Kurt crawled forward on all four limbs like some great spider, landing on the ground gracefully. He did not shy away from the awful stench emitted by the dumpsters... they served worst things at the school cafeteria for lunch. And the cool air and snow helped to muffle the smell.

Kurt glanced around to make sure no one had noticed him, then tapped the button on his holowatch, hunching over. For a moment, the image it projected faded away, leaving the blue-furred elf that he was underneath visible. Quickly he scrolled through the options on the watch and activated another setting, letting the air shimmer around him again as an image covered his true form.

The holowatch truly was a marvel of technology. Though only a visual device, it was capable of creating a large number of images over the person who wore it, and perfect images that, even up close, could pass inspection. True, it could not alter the general dimensions of the person in question to a certain degree. That being the illusion's eyes were in the same place as the originals. Same with the hands, the feet, etc. However, upon toying with it during a Spring Break, Kurt had discovered it did possess a great deal of malleability. Like when he'd been trying to impress Kitty he could modify the image so he looked like a furry-blue Arnold Schwarzenagger. Or, he thought with a blush, the time the Professor had thought to teach him a lesson about it, and made him look like a girl. Though, he admitted privately to himself, he still looked good, even as a girl.

Toad had also discovered some of the range of the holowatches capabilities when he'd tried to win over Wanda. Kurt had decided to leave the files left on his holowatch in case Toad ever wanted to borrow it again. He doubted the slimy boy would, but you never know. And he did open Kurt's eyes about how similar they truly were.

Kurt's new setting was the same height and general build, but with dark blonde hair and slightly tanner skin, with a completely different ensemble of wintery clothes. A blue jacket and white scarf, nothing extravagant. He didn't enjoy doing this, but he'd found it was better. Those from school who might recognize him as a mutant would make buying things hard. Bayville's local stores had no shortage of 'Right to Refuse Service' signs stored under their counters. And today, he didn't want anyone from the Institute or school to recognize him and have word get back to Amanda.

So it was that Kurt strolled into the Bayville Mall on a mission.

Strolled straight into chaos.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurt's first stop was the Borders located at the front of the mall. Though books weren't really his thing, he supposed he could take a look around, see if something caught his eye. He did have all the rest of the day until the mall closed, after all. And Amanda had said she did have a thing for fantasy and sci-fi novels.

So it was that Kurt found himself crouched between book rows, examining the latest works by such authors as Chris Claremont, Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley Smith. However, nothing seemed to catch his interest, and with a dejected sigh he stood, brushed off his jacket of imaginary lint and continued his search, wandering down between this row and that. From the Manga (which he had a secret love of) to the Self-Help (surprised they don't have a Chicken Soup for the Mutant Soul, he thought dryly) to the Romance novels and more. Literature, Cooking, Religion, Science. Nothing seemed right, good though some of them might have been for friends (and indeed, a number of books had been purchased already for his friends at the Institute) but not his girlfriend, his sweetheart, his love.

Dejected, Kurt took the opposite exit from the Borders out into the main mall, as always amazed by the number of Christmas decorations that had sprung into existence, seemingly overnight, since Thanksgiving. Silver tinsel and green garlen was strewn and hung, respectively, everywhere one looked. Along most of the walls were snowflakes, both painted and paper. And, unsurprisingly, in the normally clear center of the mall was the largest Christmas tree Kurt had ever seen, nearly brushing against the roof of the mall, three stories up. It too was decorated by golden garlen, as well as countless red crystal globes, and atop, a star that probably was as wide as Kurt's outstretched arm.

Kurt strolled on. For all their loveliness, the beautiful decorations all paled to the thought of his beloved's smile. So, determined to see such a thing, he returned to his quest to find her a present, expertly dodging to and fro the unusually thick crowds, careful not to let anyone brush against him. His tail wrapped itself around his waist underneath his shirt to avoid discovery.

A JC Penny's was next. His talk with Rogue had given him the idea that perhaps something simple might work best after all. So, clothing, preferably a warm winter coat for their snowball fights. Or a nice sweater. Blue, of course, being Amanda's favorite color (he still blushed to think about that). But again nothing seemed right. It was the wrong cut, the wrong shade of blue, or as Jean was wont to say, 'just plain ugly.'

A few stores he plain avoided. Toy stores, for examples. Amanda wasn't a ten-year old, he thought. Victoria's Secret was also something he immediately slashed off his list of potentials, despite what his hormones told him to get his girlfriend. He shut the image out of his mind (storing it away for later, of course) and returned to his search.

And so he visited the next store. And the next. And the next...

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurt didn't find anything that day. Or the next, at a different mall on the far side of Bayville. Most things were sold out, or, like the first mall, just weren't what he was looking for. By the twentieth everyone had left the Institute for the holidays, even the usual crowd had vanished.

Rogue was visiting her foster mother Irene for the holiday (though Kurt suspected she was also going to visit a certain Cajun in New Orleans as well). The Professor and Beast had gone to speak with a colleague of theirs about mutants. A renowned scientist by the name of Patronete.  Scott was with his brother Alex in Hawaii.  Even Logan had left to take care of 'important things.'  Leaving one fuzzy blue mutant alone at the Institute for Gifted Youngsters.

By the twenty-second, Kurt had begun to despair of finding a gift in time. He was running out of time, and he needed to find it. Not just any gift would do.

So it was time to bring in the expert.

Margali Sefton.

"I need advice," he stated quietly before the matron of the Sefton household. Amanda was out with her father, getting a pine tree to decorate. Thus, Kurt had managed to catch Amanda's mother without alerting his girlfriend to his dilemma.

He sat in the living room with her, fidgeting, his tail curling around the leg of the chair he sat in as Margali sipped her tea across from him. He explained the situation, then waited patiently while she thought about it.

"You really do care about her, don't you?" she asked at length. Kurt, surprised, nodded.

"Ja," he replied simply.

"Then the best advice I can give you is to act on those feelings," she stated quietly, placing her teacup back down on the coaster before her. "At the risk of sound like an overly clique Christmas movie, let me say this. The most magical gifts come from the heart. Let that guide you, Kurt."

"Thank you, Mrs. Sefton," he intoned respectfully, standing. "You've been a great help. I'll respect your wisdom."

"Just treat my daughter right," she replied, patting him on the head in a motherly way that made him blush. "That's all I ask."

Kurt departed with newfound determination, and a brown-haired woman's blessing. He would find Amanda the best present for Christmas, one that showed her exactly how he felt about her.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There it was. The most perfect gift he could've found her.

Kurt's face pressed up against the display window, eyeing the item in question through perhaps an centimeter or so of clear glass. It was beyond perfect, it seemed as if the universe itself had, after deciding to bring the two of them together, crafted this just for them. It was beyond perfect.

Kurt reached into the pockets of his jacket, examining his money. Counting slowly, fearful that he'd find he was short by another dozen dollars or so. To his vast surprise, and relief, he had nearly the exact amount he needed. And he could still repay Kitty some of the money she'd lent him when she returned home from Northbrook.

He made his way into the store, and drew over a clerk to make his purchase. And, he noted from a sign on the counter, it included packaging and gift-wrapping so it was all nice and pretty.

Life was beyond good.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kurt hid the package under his coat as he made his way out of the mall, grateful that particular store had been mobbed like most of the others had been. There'd been a line, but it'd been short and he hadn't stayed for long. It was, however, already growing late in the day. He'd delayed his visit to the Seftons until the afternoon when Amanda had been out looking for a tree, and after a few hours searching it was growing late. The sky was already dark, clouds hanging with the promise of fresh white snow in the next couple of days.

Kurt's night vision allowed him to make his way home with relative ease, carefully slipping into the Mansion as he hid his gift underneath his bed.  No sign of anyone, not even Logan.  He hadn't come back yet, apparently.  He then slid off his holowatch and gratefully collapsed atop the covers, falling asleep almost instantly.

He dreamed that night. Of Amanda.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Author's Notes:**

We see some good ol' Kurt-Rogue brother-sister bonding.  Isn't it cute?  Yes it is.  Also a little more insight into Rogue-Scott-Jean love triangle that is, sadly, no longer part of wonderful world of Evolution.  Poor Rogue.  For the record, I do not know how to spell the Jewish holiday.  Chanukah seemed good to me, my apologies if I misspelled it.  Mrs. Lawrence is based off an actual teacher I once had in High School.  Now that I think back she does remind me an awful lot of Kitty Pryde.  Of course, I also had this one Phys Ed teacher who reminded me of Logan too.  Not fun.  The concept of Kurt's holowatch is, of course, based off of how it seems to work in 'Adrift' and 'The Toad, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.'  Anyone recognize those author's?  If not I'm shocked.  They were the authors who wrote X2 and X-Men, the novels based off the movies.  Margali's use of the term 'magical' is, of course, an in-joke of her comic version being a sorceress.

RogueSummers: I'm shocked you don't read Kurmandas.  But I imagine you're more of a Scogue sort, yes?  Your name says as much.  Don't deny it!  I like that couple too, as you'll see later on.

CrypticIdentity: Well thank you, glad you're enjoying my stories.  Its a good idea, actually, but 'fraid not.  Something like that is being saved for our favorite Rogue.  But good guess, none-the-less.

Elrohirthewriter: And so much anger, can't forget that.  Believe me, she's as responsible for her fate as anyone else.  But yeah, pity for poor Misty.  Hehe.  Hope you enjoy the rest to come.

Sarah: Glad you liked my take on Kurmanda, but believe me there are plenty of us out there.  Alaer and Internutter are some of the best though.  Nice name you have.  Interesting note... in my other story, 'Weapon X24', I named the mutant X23 after you. What a coincidence!

No Name: They are cute, aren't they?  Trust me, plenty more to come.  I do want to wrap this up before the actual twenty-fourth, after all.

Psycho Artist: Its not a Kurtty!  That's Kurt/Kitty!  This is a Kurmanda!  And yes, thank you for commenting on the cuteness.  That was the angle I was working.

Pix: Glad you like.

Kinomi: Oh believe me I shall.  Sorry about the dreaded 'text block of doom' but you know what its like for us poor bastards who don't have Microsoft Word.  And our spelling, and our grammar.

Comet-hime: Just a tiny bit.  This is Kurt and Amanda's time in the spotlight, I'm not letting anyone else get it for more than a few moments.  As for Kurt's family, well, I'll weave in a little more.

Gambi316: Don't worry, plenty for even you to enjoy to come.  And of course Rogue/Remy references later on.


	3. III

Amanda was used to a lot of strange things.  Since her sophomore year had started at Bayville High, she'd seen a lot of bizarre things happen, and met even more bizarre people.  Not that they didn't have their own particular, peculiar charm.  Amanda was drawn to the strange and unusual.  Normal was boring.  'Freaky' and 'weird' had become the norm for her.

However, this was definitely high on her list.

She'd gotten home with her dad, both of them freshly covered in white snow as they'd managed to lug their newfound Christmas tree into the living room and set it up.  Placed it in the stand and decorated it, star last of course.  And then she'd gone upstairs to take a nice hot bath before dinner.

However, laying in her room was a simple piece of paper.  The writing on it was sloppy, and she recognized the handwriting as Kurt's.  He must've been in a hurry when he wrote it.  Because of the unusual structure of his fingers, he could rarely write anything neatly, though it was legible enough.  Picking it up, she took a moment to read it.

"Amanda," she read aloud.  "I thought we could exchange our gifts privately on the night of the twenty-fourth.  Professor X has agreed to allow you entrance to the mansion, included below is the key code you'll need.  I hope I can see you there, my pretty sweetheart.  Its been so lonely."

And there, at the bottom, Kurt's signature.

Amanda carefully folded the paper and placed it on her pillow, sitting down for a moment to ponder the strange meaning of his letter.  Why hadn't he just told her this herself, she wondered.  And why privately?

Amanda shivered a little which had nothing to do with the cold.  Her gift to Kurt was important, yes, and it felt right to her, but would it feel right to him.  Would he reject it?  Was it too elaborate, too personal?  Should she have stuck to something simpler?  Doubts and little fears encircled her heart, making it harder for her to breathe, try as she might to relax.  Kurt loved her, or at the very least cared deeply about her, she told herself.  He'd saved her life, after all.

Pushing aside any doubts and fears, Amanda picked up her cell phone and dialed a number she knew by heart.  A few short rings passed, then a German voice answered.  "Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters.  How may I help you?"

"You can tell a certain Mr. Kurt Wagner," she said with a smirk, deliberately teasing him.  "That a Ms. Amanda Sefton would be all too delighted to join her favorite fuzzy blue elf on the night of the twenty-fourth for an exchanged of gifts."

Kurt burst out laughing, and Amanda joined him.  Then his voice came over the phone again.  "Ja, I'll let him know.  I'm sure he'll be delighted," he replied, giving an over-the-phone kiss.

"Bye Kurt," she said with a giggle, hanging up.  How could she ever doubt her beloved elf, she wondered.  Amanda shrugged, sliding out of her clothes for a much needed, steamy hot bath.

Two days from now would tell.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Two days came and went.  The twenty-fourth was, predictably, marked by countless holiday specials on the television.  Each as silly and predictable as the last.  Amanda could appreciate the holiday togetherness and good will towards fellow man as much as the next girl, but she'd outgrown most of the cartoon versions when she was twelve.  Still, one or two helped to pass the time.  And keep her mind distracted from thoughts of tonight's gift-exchanging.

She'd gotten permission from her parents, of course.  Over the past month, after seeing and hearing all Kurt had done, both as her boyfriend as an X-Man, they knew he was trustworthy.  Her dad did, of course, express his concerns over her going over to the big empty Institute with Kurt all alone, but her mom said they trusted Amanda just as much as Kurt.  They said she could stay the night if she wanted, provided she was home tomorrow by noon for the unwrapping of presents with her family.

Thus it was that on the night of the twenty-fourth, around six pm (it was already dark out) Amanda Sefton found herself trudging through the snow towards the Institute.  It had been a particularly large amount of snow, almost up to her knees in some places.  How she envied Kurt, able to get from place to place in an instant.  Her gift, though she had it, was not visible to the casual observer.  No box, big or small, was visible.  Nor any suspicious bulges in her jacket.  She did keep one hand in her left jacket pocket, however.  Fiddling with something contained therein.

She passed by a Santa on the curb, ringing his bell and with his collection bowl.  Kind-hearted girl that Amanda was, she obligingly grabbed some spare change from her pockets and deposited it, earning a smile and a respectful nod from the obviously fake-bearded Santa.

Finally she approached the Institute and tapped in the code she'd been given in Kurt's letter to allow her entry, sealing the gates behind her.  To her surprise, the road inside the gates was almost perfectly clear, with only a light dusting of snow.  Based on what little she knew about the mutants living at the Institute, either Scott or Amara must've used their powers to clear it before they'd left.

Must be nice, having such powers, she thought again.  But then again, every gift had its price.  To be feared and hated, misunderstood by all but a few people.  Amanda didn't know if she could stand that was well as they did.

Amanda knocked on the glass doors leading to the foray, but seeing on sign of her fuzzy elf, she opened them and stepped inside.  To her surprise, the place was much as she'd seen it last month.  No decorations, garland or tree or snowflakes decorating the room.  Still, she could faintly smell the scent of Christmas cookies coming from the kitchen, and as she listened, she could've sworn she heard "Let is Snow" coming from that direction as well.  Curious, the dark-haired girl made her way down the hallway to find the source of the sensations, as well as hopefully find Kurt.

To her surprise the Kitchen was empty.  Sitting on the counter were two trays of Christmas cookies, one green Christmas trees, one red Santa's.  One was fresh, the one with the Santa's, as evident by the delicious smell that emanated off of the tray.  The other looked less recent.  The sound of the music she'd heard had come from the nearby radio.  Kurt must've been cooking and listening to the radio to pass the time.

Curious to know what is work tasted like, Amanda reached out for one of the green Christmas tree cookies.

Suddenly a hand shot out, intercepting hers and very tenderly closing about her wrist.  "Nein, Liebchen," came Kurt's voice, partially terrified.  Amanda turned around, spotting him.  "Those vere Keety's last batch before she vent home to Northbrook..."

Amanda giggled, immediately giving her 'savior' a big, well-earned hug.  The two of them hadn't had a chance in what seemed like ages.  Kurt wrapped his arms around her slender waist, drawing her in close as he rests his head against hers softly.

"Thanks for saving me again, Kurt..." she whispered into his furry neck.  Little did she realize it send tingles down his spine and throughout his nervous system.  Gently he pushed them down, and released his hold on Amanda, smiling at her.

"Anytime..." he replied.  A light ding interrupted the two of them, and Kurt turned back to the oven, pulling on some over-mitts and sliding out another tray of smiling red Santa cookies.  Amanda felt her saliva glands go into overdrive.  It all smelled so darn good.

"It didn't know you cooked, Kurt," she intoned softly, eyeing her boyfriend with a smile plastered on her face.

"I also sew as well," he replied.  "But don't tell anyvone, meine reputation vould be ruined."

Amanda giggled at that.  "When did you learn to sew?" she asked.

"Meine muzzer taught me," he replied, gesturing down his back.  Amanda followed his gaze, then mentally smacked herself for not realizing it earlier.  His tail.  Of course he'd need to know how to modify his pants to accommodate it.  His pants and... Amanda blushed deeply, pushing all such impure thoughts from her mind.  At least for now.

"Oh I see... so you could do it yourself when you came to Bayville," she said, managing to keep her tone normal.

"Ja," he replied, pulling off his oven-mitts and grabbing a cookie off the tray that had already cooled a little, presenting it to Amanda.  "Vould you like the honor of being my first taster?"

"Sure," she replied, taking the cookie and giving it a tentative bite.  Her narrow escape from Kitty's off-times lethal cooking had put her on her guard, but it was simply delicious.  In no time she's scarfed down the entire thing.

"I'm glad you could come," he said once she'd finished.  His tail snaked out behind him and flipped off the radio, so they could converse without being interrupted by Adam Sandler's latest version of the "Chanukah Song."  Not that either of them hated it (far from it) but the moment was too tender to interrupt with music.

"I'm glad too Kurt," she replied tenderly.  Her eyes were downcast, not meeting his, and her cheeks were darker than usual.  She was blushing.

"So, you vant to just exchange gifts and go?" he asked tentatively.  "You're velcome to stay here as long as you vant, but I vouldn't vant to keep you here."

"No its fine Kurt," she said.  "Mom and Dad said I can stay here all night, if I want.  If, if I'm not imposing, of course," she added softly.

"Nein, of course not..." he replied, giving her a gentle hug.  "There's a guest room just down the hall from me... you can spend the night there... once you vant to sleep, that it," he added mischievously.

"Oh, and what's that supposed to mean?" she asked, leaning back in the hug to gaze at his yellow-gold eyes.  His gaze glanced up briefly, and when she looked she could only smile.  Kurt's tail had, from somewhere (no doubt hidden behind his back) snagged a mistletoe and was now currently dangling it over the happy couple.

Amanda's lips met Kurt's, and he tossed the mistletoe away idly as they embraced.  It had served its purpose.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They spent the remainder of the evening together, cuddled up together on the couch, content and happy in one another's embrace.  They talked little, apparently more interested in conveying their feelings.

Neither spoke about their gifts.  Both were too nervous, too filled with doubts and little fears.  Though their thoughts were nearly the same.  They'd both put heart and soul into thinking of what to get, and into the very gifts they'd gotten.  Now all they needed to do was give them.

It was Kurt who finally broke the ice, gathering up Amanda and her warm coat and taking her to his bedroom.  A little confused, she slid it on, wondering if he was going to teleport them somewhere outside.  She hoped not, it was darn cold out.  Freezing, at least, since any water outside was frozen solid.  Even the pool, though one could not tell from the covering that had been placed over it in late autumn to keep out leaves.

Kurt led Amanda out onto the balcony just outside his room, keeping the door open.  In the back of his mind he could just hear a certain voice (which sounded suspiciously like Logan) telling him he was wasting heat by leaving the door open, but he ignored it.

"So where's my Christmas present?" asked Amanda, leaning against the balcony.  Her tone, that of a whiney kid, was all for show, as they both knew.  Still, she was curious.  The suspense was killing her.  Her heart was beating in overdrive, and her hands were trembling.

"Vhere's mine?" he replied, deliberately being coy as he leapt up and perched on the railing next to Amanda.

"I asked first.  And don't even think about arguing with me," she said, waving her finger at him in mock-anger.  "Otherwise we'll be endlessly caught in a circle of you 'you first' and 'no you.'"

"Far be it for to argue with your impeccable logic," he replied, planting a soft kiss on her forehead as he leapt gracefully down from his perch to go into his room and locate it.  He made a big show of it as she watched, going through his dressers, under his bed, as if he was searching for it.  Even giving exaggerated head-shaking as if saying 'Nope, not this... no where did I put it?'  Amanda giggled, he was so funny sometimes.  He could've been put into a TV show and she'd be his number one fan.

Like she wasn't already.

"Ah, here it is," he stated, pulling out a small box from underneath his bed and holding it in his hands.  It was about the size of a basketball, dark violet in color.  It was wrapped exquisitely in green and red and gold alternating striped bow.  A simple tag was included with its sender and receiver, though there was no need since it was just for her.  Even the box looked beautiful, and Amanda was loath to tear it open when Kurt laid it in her hands.

"Go on," he whispered softly.  His voice trembled, but from nervousness or emotion she couldn't tell.  Gently, slowly, she tore away the beautiful wrappings and the covering of the box.  To her surprise underneath was a normal cardboard box.  No markings, nothing covering it at all.  She glanced at Kurt, but he continued to watch her with bland innocence.

Shrugging, Amanda opened the box, greeted almost immediately by a rather large amount of packaging white fluff.  So that was his game.  Get her hopes up with a big box, then hide whatever he'd really gotten her inside.  Trickster, she thought with a smirk as she dug in, carefully placing the fluff aside in one neat little pile.

Then she found it.  A small, very tiny black satin box.  It looked like... no, he couldn't have gotten her that, could he?  No, it was too much to hope for.  This had to be some sort of incredible dream.  A wonderful, beautiful dream...

Kurt sat down alongside Amanda, gently placing his two-fingered, fuzzy blue hand over hers.  He shifted, moving over gracefully until he was partially in front of her, taking the black box from her, though still holding it out before her.

Amanda swore she couldn't breath.  Her heart was doing double-time now, and she felt like she was going to do something silly like faint.

"Amanda..." he said, his voice very quiet.  "I thought a lot about what I wanted to get you.  What I could get that showed you how much I cared for you.  And I do care, a great deal."

"Kurt, I..." she started to say, but a fuzzy blue finger gently pressed against her lips.

"Shhh," he whispered back.  "Let me finish.  I love you, Amanda.  Ever since that Sadie Hawkin's Dance, when you saw who I truly was and said you weren't afraid.  I never believed there was anyone in the world as wonderful as you.  You've been the only person, apart from my parents, who never screamed."

Kurt gently opened the black box, showing Amanda what was inside.  A simple golden band of metal, intricately decorated with tiny little markings.  It was thin at the far end, then gradually thickened until it came to, yes it was real, a diamond.  Not too big, not too small.  It caught the light from the moon and glittered like a frosty star.

Again Amanda felt she couldn't breath.  That she was going to faint.  Kurt's hand slid from her mouth to her shoulder, helping to keep her upright, for which she was grateful.  She didn't want to lose consciousness now.  Not now, of all times.  She blinked, taking a few moments to regain her breath, all the while watching Kurt.

"Amanda... I can't promise you forever," he said softly.  "We're too young.  We've still got many years to change and grow.  I can't promise what might not happen."

"Kurt, we..." she started to say, before she got a good look at his eyes.

Eyes were a window to the soul, some said.  Kurt's certainly proved this true.  His soul was golden with his kindness and his good will, his freedom from malice.  But his eyes showed how he felt too.  They sparkled when he laughed.  They grew watery when he cried.  They darkened when he grew angry.  Looking at them now, Amanda saw wisdom and maturity.  He'd obviously thought this through.  He knew exactly what he was saying.

"I won't promise forever, liebchen," he whispered softly.  Then, he reached into the box, and tugged on something.  Amanda blinked her eyes, watching as Kurt drew on a thing silver chain she hadn't noticed before.  It went through the ring, allowing Kurt to draw it up out of the box and dangle it gently before Amanda's eyes.

"I can't, so I won't... but..." he started, then hesitated, dropping his gaze.  Amanda reached out, placing her small hands over his free one.  He smiled, lifting his head.  "Until ve're ready, for forever... I hope you'll keep this with you... as a symbol of how much I care for you."

"Oh Kurt..." she whispered, breathless, unable to say anything else.  So she managed a very slight nod.  His face broke into a smile, and he gently lifted the two of them into a standing position.  Taking the silver necklace in his hands he draped it over Amanda's head and the back of her neck, gently arranging her long dark hair over it.  It, like the ring, was perfect, the right length and felt cool against her skin.  The ring rested comfortably just below her collarbone.

"Until forever," he intoned softly.  And Amanda broke down, launching herself at Kurt and flinging her arms around his neck, bringing him down into a long and passionate kiss.  Kurt went willing, his lips sealed against hers as he wrapped his arms around her and held them both upright as they kissed again and again, until both their lips went numb and they were left breathless.

"So..." said Kurt, with more than a little of his usual humor back.  "Vhere's meine present?"

Amanda gave a smirk that put Kurt's to shame, reaching down to the pocket of her jacket and sliding her hand in.  Now it was Kurt's turn to be nervous, to be tense.  He could only imagine what lay within, though the dimensions of her pocket did narrow down the possibilities.

Thus, he was rather surprised when she drew out a blue, exquisitely wrapped bow-thingies, much like the one he'd had on her gift before it had been opened.  However, curiously, nothing lay beneath it.  Kurt gave her a puzzled look, raising one eyebrow.

No words were spoken, as Amanda placed the bow atop of her head, and gave Kurt another beautiful, perfect smile, showing off every one of her pristine, snow-white teeth.

"Merry Christmas, Kurt," she said softly.  "I hope you like your present."

"Its the best thing anyone could have ever gotten me," he replied, drawing her in close and kissing her softly.  His kiss was brief this time, conveying an unbelievable tenderness as he leaned back and smiled, admiring his 'gift.'  Amanda blushed softly under the inspection.  She had no idea how beautiful Kurt found her.

"Oh look," she whispered, clasping her hands in front of her and pointing upwards.  Kurt looked.  It was snowing again.  Tiny white particles drifted down to rest in the dark locks of his girlfriend and along his blue fur.  The moment was so unbelievable Kurt half-suspected he was still asleep, dreaming the entire thing.

Gently Kurt pinched his own furry arm, delighted that he felt pain.  It was real.  It was all real.  Amanda loved him, and he did her, and they'd both gotten the best Christmas gifts ever.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Caldecott, Mississippi...

A ring came from the doorbell, immediately causing the middle-aged lady to raise her head.  She'd heard footsteps approaching, but before she could reach the door her auburn-haired guest (guest?  Heck, former daughter) had beaten her too it.

"Ah hope ya don't mahnd Irene, Ah invited someone to spend the naht with us," said Rogue as she opened the door, admitting their guest.  Irene could not see him, but she knew perfectly well who he was, and why he was there.

"Of course Rogue.  I knew you would.  Please, Mr. LeBeau, come in," she beckoned in their guest.

Remy stepped in, declining Rogue's offer to take his coat as he took in the room.  His keen, red on black eyes took in every thing, noting everything of value.  Though he had no intentions of stealing (something he never did on this particular holiday) old habits definitely died hard.

A low growl to his left came from the dog.  A great big, short-haired Doberman.  It bared its teeth at Remy, but was too well-trained to bark.  He regarded it casually, one hand slipped down into his pockets, resting comfortably against a chosen card.  Ace of Spades, in case the mutt got wild.  He hated dogs.

"Oh don't mahnd her," said Rogue, beckoning him in.  "Cassie doesn't like strangers much."

"So it seems," remarked Remy, glancing at the dog.  Rogue headed off to get the table set up for Christmas dinner.  Destiny went to help.  The instant she left, the dog's eyes flashed yellow, the pupils narrow to slits.  Then they returned to normal.  Remy figured as much.  Surprised she hadn't picked a cat, but Rogue had once told him she hated cats.  Made sense he guessed.  He smirked, giving her a nod.  She recognize him, he recognized her.  But they could put aside their difference for tonight, for the person they mutually cared for.

"'fraid I gotta eat and run chere," he remarked when she returned.  "Can't stay long."

"Well I got you a present... at least get that before you go," she replied, beckoning Remy into the living room.  He sat down on the couch next to Rogue.  Irene sat across from them in her customary rocking chair, and the dog sat down by Rogue, next to her leg, watching everything with its keen eyes.

"I, ah, got you somethin' too chere," he remarked, pulling out a flat, wrapped gift from behind his back.  Concealed by his trench coat until just a few moments ago, he dusted it off and handed it dramatically to Rogue.

"She's read it already," remarked Irene from her seat near the fireplace.  Rogue frowned, idly tearing away the wrapping to find the cover of her favorite book beneath.  Mary Shelley's Frankenstein.  True, she had read it before, but she didn't own it.  It was a very sweet gesture.  Then her natural suspicions got the best of her and she glanced sideways at Remy.

"Paid in full," he replied, one hand over his heart.  "Thieves honor."

The dog growled low at Remy.  Though Rogue didn't recognize it, the other two present did.  They all knew what she thought of thieves honor.

"Oh, and ah... this is for ya," added Rogue, handing him her gift.  It was much smaller, a box, carefully wrapped and prepared.  Remy smiled, deftly unwrapping the bow and paper both without a single tear, handing them neatly folded to Rogue to dispose of as he admired his newfound gift.

"Cute," he replied, slipping open the deck and letting his fingers spread the cards before his eyes like a practiced magician.  Though he wasn't, he did know a few tricks of the trade.  Sleight of hand always being much needed in his profession.  The type of cards gave him pause, however.  "Tarot?"

"Thought maybe you'd be getting tired of playin' solitaire," she stated with a smirk.  "Just promise me you won't use 'em as weapons."

"Well thank you very much chere," he said, meaning every word.

"Well, you can't stay long," said Irene.  "Let's eat."

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Hawaii...

Scott Summers was on the beach, watching Alex surf the waves as was his passion in life.  Even on a night like this.  Scott idly ran his fingers through the sand, thinking about her.  Wondering if she liked his gift.  He knew Alex would enjoy his.  Photography wasn't his strong point but he did like it, and took such good pictures too.  The digital version would make it easier for him to send it to Scott via his laptop.

He would enjoy it for sure.  Jean was another matter.  He'd spent hours frantically trying to find something for her, asking the advice of his best friends (those who wouldn't squeal to her) and eventually settled on Kurt's idea.  A bracelet.  Not too gaudy, not too committed, but sweet and endearing all the same.

Alex whooped way out as he caught a good wave.  Scott shivered as he watched his brother.  Unlike him, Scott was bundled up in thick layers.  Hawaii wasn't infamous for snow but it was still very cold.  His brother was just wearing a dive suit.  He was crazy for going out in that icy water.  Still, gotta do what you love.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Hartford, Connecticut...

Jean Grey was up late.  Her mother, father, and sister had long since gone to bed, eagerly awaiting tomorrow when their gifts would be open.  But she sat on the couch, watching old holiday specials and shivering.  She was cold.  And lonely.  She kept wishing for an arm to wrap around her shoulders.

She smiled, thinking about Scott.  Having fun down in Hawaii with his brother and his adopted family.  Not even a week had passed and already she missed him.  She hoped he enjoyed her gift.  It wasn't anything special, just a red sweater.  But she'd knit it herself (after convincing Ororo to teach her how) and endowed it with all the warm feelings she had for Scott.

Now if she could only keep herself warm.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Northbrook, Illinois...

"Wow, thanks Kitty," said Lance, pulling his gift out of the wrapping.  It was Christmas day, and though Kitty was Jewish they'd decided to exchange presents together.  Lance admired his new watch, turning it this way and that.  He'd been in need of one since almost as long as he could remember.  At least since Northbrook, when his last watch (stolen) had been dropped and broken.  He'd make sure no such thing happened to this one.  Not a gift from Kitty.

"Here, open mine," he said, pushing his packaged towards her.  It was about the same size as the watches packaging, though more crudely wrapped and bundled.  No tag was added, just on the top in pen the sender and receiver.  It was Lance's only gift.

They were spending the holidays together, with Kitty's parents.  Lance had no where in particular to go (the orphanage certainly wouldn't be happy to see him) and Kitty had invited him to join her for the winter break.  Though Kitty's parents had been skeptical, even down right suspicious of Lance when he'd first arrived (their last meeting having started on very shaky ground) Kitty convinced them that Lance had changed.  Upon hearing how Lance had risked his life on more than one occasion to save their beloved Kitty, they'd decided to give him a second chance.

Her mother, Rebecca, rather like Lance once she'd gotten past his rough, hardened exterior.  She saw how he cared for Kitty, and in truth, that was all a mother truly cared about for her baby.

Carmen Pryde, her father, was less than impressed.  But he kept most of his thoughts and opinions to himself.  For now.

"Oh Lance... they're beautiful," remarked Kitty, pulling out the sapphire earrings and admiring them.  Tiny little studs they were, nothing fancy or extravagant.  But they were none-the-less very beautiful, and Kitty couldn't imagine they'd been cheap by any stretch of the imagination.

Kitty's mother snapped a picture of her daughter with the new earrings, holding them up so all could see.

"Happy Hanukah," he said, managing to totally mangle the word.  And he knew it, too.  But Kitty only smiled.  He was trying, at least.

"And Merry Christmas to you."

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Bayville, NY...

Dorian Leech smiled as his thumbs actively slammed down against his controller, directing his car in the race of his life. His mom never got him those cool fighting games, like Mortal Kombat, but it was still cool to have such a good gaming system. And his mom was only looking out for him, after all.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Roanoke, VA...

It was Christmas morning at the Smith household.  Tabitha's mother, Mrs. Smith, was still in bed, very much asleep.  Her health had improved greatly in the past year, since her daughter had come back to support her, working in a music store nearby.  They were by no means wealthy, but they had a roof over their heads and food on their table.  And none of it was stolen.

Tabitha and her houseguest, Amara, had woken up early to exchange presents, before Mrs. Smith woke.  She'd worn herself out last night at her own job, and they wanted to give her peace and quiet.  Amara was staying with them for the winter break, since her own home didn't celebrate Christmas.  That and she didn't want to inconvenience the Professor to fly her home to Nova Roma.

"Here's yours Tabby," said Amara, sliding her small but well made present over to Tabitha, who eagerly tore into it, tossing scraps of wrapping everywhere as she reached in.

"Ooooh... pretty," she whispered, her voice several octaves higher than usual.  Making her sound even more like a six-year-old girl.  Amara giggled, covering her mouth so the sound wouldn't awaken Mrs. Smith.  She was just in the other room down the hall after all.  It wasn't a very big house.  Tabitha smiled, reaching in, and pulled out her gift.  Two gold bracelets that had formerly adorned the arms of a certain Royal Princess of Nova Roma.  Tabitha smiled, appreciating both the gift and the intimate nature of it.

"Thanks girl..." she said softly, trying on the bracelets.  They fit perfectly.  "You're turn," she added, pushing her own gift across the wrapping strewn floor to Amara.  Amara tore into it with slightly less eagerness than Tabby herself.  When her gift was revealed, however, she raised an eyebrow in confusion as she drew it out and held it before her.

"Lingerie?" Amara asked, partially in confusion, partially sarcastic.  Tabitha nodded, smiling.  Amara rolled her eyes.  Sweet though the gift was, she couldn't help but think that Tabitha had absolutely no shame at times.

Didn't stop them from being the best of friends though.  There's no one she would've rather spent her Christmas with.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In New York City, NY...

Warren was spending Christmas the way he used to. By visiting an orphanage laden with toys. His wings were skillfully hidden beneath his red sweater, but he was an angel to the beautiful faces of the boys and girls who received their first good present in many years.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Russia...

Piotr Rasputin smiled as he watched his little sister, Illyana, making snow-angels in the powdery white snow that covered the fields. It was good to be home with his family again, knowing they were all safe and happy.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Bayville, NY...

Forge had immediately set to work with present, a pair of new tools. His arm may have been versatile but it did lack a few functions. And now he was compensated with tools of only the highest quality. So he immediately returned to work, putting form to thought, shape to ideas

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Brazil...

The mutant known as Sunspot lay in the snow, soaking up the warm sun's rays whenever they poked through the cloud cover. With the golden rays help Roberto had rolled the biggest snowman his family had ever seen on their lawn. Its bottom piece was almost as big as a boulder. And he wasn't even done yet. Just takin' a break to get juiced up.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the Morlock Tunnels...

Spyke dropped the turkey and the plate underneath onto the wooden table in the middle of the Alley.  It was quite a haul, considering the turkey was big enough for all the Morlocks to eat and was still warm.  Stealing a turkey like that hadn't been easy, but he and Facade had managed to pull it off.  Spyke extended his hand, allowing a short spike to pop free with a sharp edge, so he could slice apart the turkey and distribute it, equally, to the Morlocks.

Callisto watched with a smile, a rough yet functional sweater wrapped around her normally bare arms to keep her warm.  The Morlock tunnels were very cold this time of year.  No snow ever came down, but the waters ran high and sometimes icy cold.  It wasn't pleasant, but it was their home.  A tug on her pants brought Callisto's attention to Torpid, and she bent down, lifting the little Morlock girl up so she could watch Spyke prepare their dinner.

"An intruder is present," stated Calliban, his dull monotone voice cutting through the still air like a knife.  After a moment, he added "Berzerker..."

Ray Crisp stepped out of the shadows, knowing their was no point in trying to stay hidden any longer.  He held up his hands in the universal 'I mean no harm' position, for all the good it did him.  Every single Morlock, save Evan, fixed him with a death-glare that put Rogue's to shame.

"Hey whoa, its okay... I'm not here to cause trouble," he said.

"What are you doing here, Ray?" asked Spyke, stepping protectively between the two groups.  To protect them both, really.

"Just came with a peace offering, that's all," replied the blonde & red headed boy, ducking back into the shadows.  He emerged half a moment later, carrying a large black garbage bag.  However, garbage was not contained therein.  He ripped open the side, allowing its real contents to spill out across the damp floor.  Presents, wrapped and tied, of all shapes and sizes.

"Best I could do," he stated.  "Spent every last penny I had."

A number of Morlock children surged forward, headed by Torpid, but they came to an abrupt halt as Callisto stood next to Spyke in front of them.  Her expression was one filled with anger, and her one blue eye glinted dangerously.

"You expect us to just simply forget what happened?" she asked Ray.  "That you abandoned us?  You think these will atone for what you've done?"

"Callisto," whispered Evan softly, before Ray could reply.  "Not today.  Put it aside just for today... the kids need this."

Callisto sighed, deeply, and nodded gently.  Torpid and the other Morlock kids took this as a sign and rushed forward to grab and gather presents, trading amongst themselves what they wanted.  A number of teenaged and adult Morlocks went with them, since most of those who lived down in the Alley owned only the clothes on their back.  Ray had, thoughtfully, chosen a wide mix of gifts, including some simple books (a few Morlocks could read, though most couldn't), dolls, toys, just about anything he'd spied that looked fun and cheap.  Also included were a number of batteries, easily enough for at least a month or so of enjoyment.  Torpid in particular looked very pleased with her newly acquired doll, and skipped off merrily to go play.

"Come on," said Spyke, patting Ray on the back and directing him towards the big wooden table where their meal lay.  "Grab a slice of turkey... its the least we can do to repay you for this."

"Thanks," he replied.  Callisto and Scaleface joined them, and the sounds of merriment filled the normally quiet tunnels of the Morlocks.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In San Francisco, CA...

Jubilee ripped open her gift as her adopted parents looked on. She hadn't gotten much this year, but a DVD of the Matrix: Reloaded (Bobby) and some tinted pink sunglasses (Scott) was nothing to sniff at. Scott's gift had, of course, included a note suggesting she wear his gift and stop stealing his own shades when she wanted to wear some.

She giggled at that.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Kenya, Africa...

Ororo sat on the high peak of the mountain.  She did not feel the cold, but still she shivered.  Her memories of last Christmas swarming around her mind like a pack of vultures.  She remembered well her time with Vivian, her sister, and her husband.  With her nephew Evan.  Who was now gone, she reminded herself.  Gone and off with the Morlocks.

A gust of wind ruffled her ivory white hair, but she paid it no mind.  It wasn't like she should care.  She didn't normally celebrate the holiday of Christmas anyway.  But last year had been so peaceful, so relaxing.  It had been good to spend time with her family, and even, she admitted to herself, use her powers in a way that wasn't destructive but was fun.

Fun...

Her life now was anything but.  Still, she could take peace in the few days she had away from the hectic lifestyle of an X-Woman.  So she sat, meditated, and relaxed.  She was one with nature.  A vessel to its power and beauty.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Scotland...

A brown blur bounded effortlessly through the snow that covered the Scottish hillsides. It came to a stop at the bottom of the hill, shaking off the accumulated snow and revealing beneath the russet-furred form of a great wolf. The wolf's form shifted, stretching, growing, as she stood on two legs and stretched out her arms wide, giving a yawn. It was always such fun, thought Rahne Sinclair, to run through the snow. She couldn't understand why more people didn't do it.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Bayville, NY...

"Here ya go, my Crimson Cutie... hope you like," said Todd, tossing the package in question at Wanda, who caught it, eyeing it warily.  Knowing Toad, it could contain anything.  A love poem, a sappy romance novel.  Lingerie.  She shuddered at the very thought.  Reluctantly, however, she unwrapped her gift and took out what he'd gotten her.

She, her twin, Fred and Todd had gathered 'round on Christmas morning.  There weren't a great number of gifts to exchange, but those that were meant the world to the people who gave them.  Forget commercialism, Fred had said, it was the Spirit of Christmas that counted.  Actually he used a much more nasty F-word than Forget, but the message got across.  So it was that the Brotherhood were exchanging gifts on Christmas Day.

Wanda's death-gaze had settled after she peered down at her present, pulling out what it was.  Linkin' Park CD's.  She absolutely loved their music, it fit her so perfectly (though she could never perfectly explain why she felt so) but she'd never gotten around to buying the CD's herself.  She smiled, turning back to face Todd, but to her surprise he was already right up in front of her, dangling... oh god, was that a mistletoe?

Once again the Brotherhood had a lesson in simply biology, as well as theology.  If God had wanted Toads to fly, he'd make them annoy Wanda.  Who said you needed school to learn things.

A ring came from the doorbell, and all the mutants (save Todd, who was currently lying upside down against the far wall) lifted their heads.  Pietro was there in an instant, peering through the peep-hole.  Whoever it was must've been good, for he immediately opened the door, admitting who it was.  Wanda slipped to her feet, curious to know who would want to possibly visit the Brotherhood.  It wasn't Kitty, she and Lance were already long gone.  That left...

Eric Magnus Lensherr stepped across the threshold of the Brotherhood Boarding house, immediately making a mental note to increase the budget of his son's credit card.  Improvements definitely needed to be made to the place if he and his daughter would be living there.  It was better than when Mystique had run it, since the Brotherhood's brief brush with fame as saviors (he still chuckled to think of that) but needed work none-the-less.  Eric was, of course, immediately surrounded by his children, and he eagerly dropped into their eager arms the gifts he'd been carrying.  It was oh-so-hard to look dignified when your arms were laden with holiday presents.

"Happy late Chanukah," he said, giving them both a pat on the head with his gloved hands.   Pietro and Wanda both smiled up at him.  As unalike as two sides of a coin it was, in times like this, that their relationship was apparent.  Eric could see Magda in both of them, in their blue eyes.

"Oiy!" came a shout from out back, and Eric stifled a groan.  A loud thump was heard outside, followed by a round of cursing.  "One of you blighters plan on givin' me a hand or wot?!  Bloody holiday gifts, says Magneto... yeah, but 'oo gets ta carry the bloody things?!"

"Mr. Dukes, Mr. Tolenski," stated Eric in his most commanding, obey-or-suffer voice.  "Assist Mr. Allerdyce with the remaining gifts... bring them inside."

"Uh, yeah... thank you sir," said Fred as he waddled past Eric.  "Uhm, Merry Christmas to you."

Todd managed something of a similar nature, though it was lost in mumbling as he and Fred stumbled outside to help John get their remaining gifts inside.  It looked like quite a haul, and for once the Brotherhood mutants were glad they worked for their white-haired employer.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Dark Hollow, NY...

The Moonstar family was not known for having a history of celebrating Christmas. Or any other holiday of a similar nature. However, they were slowly adopting the customs of what her great-grandfather had once dubbed the 'white man.' And, Danielle, thought it was fun to get gifts from friends and family. Even if her family now consisted of just her grandfather Black Eagle and her friend Kitty Pryde.

Still, a beaded necklace and a book on interpreting dreams wasn't too shabby.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the Canadian wilderness...

Logan moved with purpose, stepping over branches and rocks.  He made no effort to hide himself, walking forward completely in the open.  Thus he wasn't terribly surprised when, as he paused to get his bearings, a long metal blade pressed up against his neck, just next to his spine.

"Nice to see you too kid," he remarked casually, not turning around.

"I thought I told you I hated that name," she stated darkly.  "What're you doing here?"

"Just droppin' off somethin'... no need to get all riled up," he remarked, shifting his arm casually to allow the package slung across his shoulder to slide to the ground.  "Oh and Merry Christmas," he said, with as close to a smile as he ever got.

With that, Logan walked off, leaving X23 to watch him in confusion as she sheathed her claws.  Gingerly she opened the pack that Wolverine had left for her, examining its contents.  Books.  Not children's books either, but good reading.  'Lord of the Flies.'  'Avalon.'  'The Hobbit.'  But before X23 could give her thanks, Logan was long gone.  Smiling, she whispered to no one in particular, then went to go enjoy her gift.

"Merry Christmas," she said.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Kentucky...

Sam and Paige were, unsurprisingly, the first ones to the gifts, in what soon became a flurry of wrapping paper and packaging, all strewn about the room. The elder Guthrie's watched with indulgent smiles, no doubt reminded of their own childhoods when they too had gleefully ripped open their gifts to discover what everyone had brought them. Between the many kids the entire floor was practically covered in bows and colored paper, as well as a number of toy packages of plastic and cardboard.

It was anarchy.

It was a typical Guthrie Christmas.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Boston, MA...

Bobby smirked, watching as his brother waved his flag half-heartedly in surrender. He wasn't surprised. What fool honestly took a person called Iceman on in a snowball fight? Still, it was fun, and he was glad Ronny challenged him to a round or two.  To much better than going up against Amara, Ray and Jubilee. They cheated big time.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In London, England...

Elisabeth Braddock, more commonly known as Betsy, and less commonly known as Psylocke, had awoken early, sneaking down to find out what her gifts were this Christmas.  Utilizing the stealth and grace normally only associated with black-clad ninjas, Betsy slipped down the creaky stairs of the Braddock Mansion without waking anyone.  Not her parents, not her brother Brian.

So it was she found herself gazing at the tiny pile of presents, neatly arranged for herself, her brother, and her parents.  From herself and her twin, of course.

One gift in particular drew her attention.  A long, slender box wrapped in green and red.  It was very flat, and wide.  Curiosity got the better of her, and she dared a quick glance around to see if anyone was around.  Satisfied no one was, she held out her fist, allowing a semi-transparent psi-blade of purple energy to coalesce around it.  The light shined on the room, giving it an eerie purple glow.  It illuminated her dark violet locks and the red tattoo along her left cheek.

Deftly she slit the packaging, opening the container, and beheld what was inside, allowing her psi-blade to fade away.  What she saw took her breath away.

A katana and wakizashi set.  A matching set, intricately designed in the shapes of oriental dragons along the hilt.  Cautiously Betsy reached in, picking up the longer of the two blades, the katana.  Reverently she slid it from its sheath, admiring the blade.  It was real, no less.  Not some cheap imitation to gather dust on the mantelpiece.  Real, razor keen steel.

It was the best gift she could've ever received.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Washington D.C...

A much needed break was being taken from their scientific work, as Charles Xavier and Hank McCoy were taking time to enjoy the season. It was a quiet occasion for the two longtime colleagues. Just like last year had been, when they'd read of the mysterious 'angel' sighting.

As he drank his coffee, Professor Xavier found his thoughts wandering. Thoughts of Gabrielle, of his son David, and even his brother Cain. His was a truly a twisted family tree, he decided bitterly. Yet he had still not given up hope that he would see David again someday. And not Lucas, as he called himself. David, his son.

Sipping his coffee, Charles silently wished his half-brother and son a Merry Christmas.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In Bayville, NY...

Kurt and Amanda entwined themselves in one another's arms on the balcony, their lips sealed against one another as their souls bonded together.  The silver moonlight poured down over them both, washing them in silver light, as snow fell all around them.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And in other parts of the world, mutants and humans awoke to a wonderful, beautiful Christmas day.  They exchanged gifts and shared laughter and company, families and friend united by a holiday of good will and peace.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Author's Notes:**

Awwww, wasn't that just cute?  My teeth ache because it was so sweet.  I hope everyone enjoyed my take on the other holiday-goers, since it was a royal pain trying to think of what to do with them all.  Santa can keep his job, far as I'm concerned.  Some obviously much longer than others, based on the groups and the particular people.  Roberto, for example, one of the shortest because so little is known about him.  Its his own fault.  And yes I know I skipped Jamie.  I know absolutely nothing about him, like his family or where he's from.  Let alone what to have him give/receive for Christmas.  One of the last characters mentioned, Psylocke (for those who honestly don't know who Betsy Braddock is) is for Elisabeth Braddock-Grey (the ff.net authoress) who is recently returning to us from a long time away at boot camp.  That's my holiday gift to her.  If you're all worried, don't fret, I've still got two more chapters coming.  An epilogue, showing a Christmas with Kurt and Amanda ten years in the future.  And one other chapter, not to be posted, involving a more... sensual... love-scene between the lovebirds.  By request only, as soon as it is ready.

Elrohirthewriter: Believe you me, I would like nothing more than Jean to go all Phoenixy and leave, thus leaving Scott open for Rogue again.  Here's hoping!  Interesting idea, talking to Destiny about a present.  I had thought about that in regard to Kurt.  In German: Dankeschoen, meine freund!

Kinomi: That's not the golden rule, that's just some silly truth you're telling me.  Glad you're liking the cuteness though.  If a talented writer like you finds it good I must be on the right track.

The Rogue Witch: Did the present surprise you?  You were right, it wasn't typical.  I'd like to think that it fit though.  And most of the other characters did as well.  I was gonna toss in a villain originally, but decided most of my stories I'd had enough of 'em.

Ray1: Best of what so far?  Best XME fic in general?  Best of my works (I hope not)?  Best Christmas story?  Though I will keep it up, and submit the final chapter shortly.

Gambi316: Ah, then everything is going according to plan.  Excellent.

CrypticIdentity: Now you know.  Was it everything you hoped?  *snicker* Legolas.  I did like the turtledoves idea, however.

RogueSummers: Glad you like.  I must be doing a good job.

Snitter in Rivendell: It was a bit of foreshadowing yes, but not maybe in the way you think.  You'll see where it goes.  Glad you like my portrayal of the Seftons and the cuteness and general fluff throughout both initial chapters.  I think Internutter did a better Kurmanda than me though, even if she did a heck of a lot more Kurrty's.  Maybe second best is where this goes.  Just one more chapter after this, plus, of course, the request chapter.

Steven P.P: Well thank you kindly, glad you're enjoying the read.  And I think Elrohirthewriter put it best when he said we've all been in spots like that.  Truth be told, I still -am- in a spot like that.

Faith Darkholme: Well, there you go.  Did you enjoy the presents and the appearance of Mystique with her other kid?  I certainly hope so.


	4. IV

Ten years later.

The infirmary of the Institute.

Kurt closed the door, shutting out the others who'd needlessly crowded around.  This was a private moment for him and Amanda and he wanted to keep it that way.  The others would get their chance.  Sister Rogue was being nice enough to keep the doors shut from the outside, leaving Kurt and his wife in peace.  Even Hank had left, after taking care of the necessities.  Now it was just the two of them.

Them and, of course, the little one.

Kurt smiled, sitting down onto the hospital bed next to his wife, who smiled up at him.  The ring he'd given her ten years ago (to the day, actually) no longer lay around her neck, but now adorned her finger instead.  A matching one, though slightly larger, had been wrapped around one of his own fingers.  That had been awkward, he remembered, thinking back to the wedding.  He didn't exactly have a ring finger, thus they'd had to pretty much pick it at random.

Gently Amanda shifted below Kurt, pulling back the bundle wrappings that held the little one in her arms.  She was blue, like her father, though of a slightly lighter shade.  Dr. McCoy had already cleaned her up and taken care of the more gruesome necessities, leaving her with the parents.  No fur covered her skin, but her dark blue, almost black hair was still damp and clung to her tiny, delicate little head.  Her eyes were closed as she slept contently in her mother's arms, but before when they'd been opened they were a dark blue.  A tiny tail worked its way free of the wrappings and lashed about gently as she dreamed.  The tip was shaped like a tiny little heart.  Her tiny hands were curled up along the rim of her blanket, and she had only three small fingers, plus thumbs.  Though her toes were covered, Kurt knew they were a similar nature, one more digit on hands and toes, but otherwise the same as his own.

They'd named her Bluebelle.

And Kurt and Amanda could not have been happier parents.

"Best Christmas present I could've ever asked for," whispered Amanda softly, rocking their sleeping child in her arms.  She was still very tired from giving birth, but she'd never looked happier in her life.  Not even when Kurt had worked up the courage to propose.

"Me too," he whispered, kissing his wife softly on the forehead, holding her and his daughter close.  "Merry Christmas."

Suddenly the doors of the infirmary slid open, and Rogue stepped in.  There was someone else with her, but neither Kurt nor Amanda could recognize her well, for she stood in the shadows of the doorway.  It wasn't either of the happy families, the Seftons or the Wagners.

"Kurt... uhm, someone here ta see ya," said Rogue cautiously.  Almost apprehensively.  "She says she's not here to cause trouble..."

Kurt watched in a mixture of horror, curiosity, and confusion as Raven Darkholme, more commonly known as Mystique, stepped across the threshold of the infirmary.  It had been many years since she'd been seen by either of her children, and the years had not been kind to her.  True, her skin was the same unblemished blue scales it had been a decade ago, and her now shortly cut hair was the same rich shade of red that put Jean's to shame.  But it was around her eyes and lips that the most difference was noticeable.  Wrinkles, deep, angry lines now marked her face, even when she smiled.  Which she was currently doing.

Kurt gently laid one hand over Amanda's, the other over the bundle that held his precious daughter.  In a split second he could have them out of here, should he need to.

"I'm not here to harm anyone, Kurt," she said gently, holding up her hands in a non-threatening gesture.  Kurt didn't relax.  He'd seen her move like lightning when she wanted to.  "I just... I'd like to see my granddaughter... please..."

"You gave up any claim to me or my family when you abandoned us, Mystique," he replied darkly, his golden eyes flashing with a dangerous light.

"Kurt," whispered Amanda, her voice still soft.  Her free hand closed over his gently, using her other arm to support Bluebelle.  "It's Christmas... let's not have you two fighting anymore."

Kurt sighed deeply, nodding, knowing in his heart Amanda was right.  Gently he slid off the medical bed and walked over to Mystique, extending his hand.  A peace offering, nothing more.  He wouldn't claim he accepted her as mother, but they didn't need to be enemies.

Mystique took his head, and for the first time Kurt noticed drops of moisture at the corners of her eyes.  Tears?  She was sincere, he realized, and he immediately regretted his own harsh words.  Smiling, he led the new grandmother over to see her grandchild, sleeping contently.  He and Rogue took up positions on either side of Mystique as she did.  No sense in taking chances, after all.

"She looks just like her father did at that age," remarked Mystique, bringing a smile to Amanda's lips and a blush to Kurt's cheeks.

"Kurt, I gotta go handle the folks," said Rogue, making her way back to the exit.  "They wanna see their grandkid soon too."

"Alright, send them in here in about," here he paused, glancing at Mystique.  His eyes asked the silent question 'do you wish to stay?'  To his surprise, she nodded.  "Five minutes," he finished.  "Thanks again... Auntie Rogue," Kurt added with a snicker.

"Stop callin' me that!" she replied with a groan as she made her way outside to find the Wagners and Seftons.  "We ain't even technically related!"

Kurt smiled as the sister of his heart, if not his blood, departed to gather the families.  To his surprise, Mystique didn't hide or alter her appearance either.  She stood as she was, though Kurt noticed she trembled fearfully.  This wasn't like an enemy she'd faced before, this was family.  Still, she stood her ground, and Kurt realized she did truly care, if she was staying.  Perhaps, given time, they could patch the rift that time and circumstance had wedged between them.

The Wagners were, including Kurt's little sisters Katja, Anja and Erika.  They'd also changed a lot over the years, and were now not so little, he noticed.  Erika was almost done with high school.  Kurt's adopted parents barely spared a cursory glance at Mystique, other than an explanation from the Wagner matron that "Oh, you must be Kurt's mother."  Kurt had, of course, told them all how he found out about the circumstances that led him to their doorstep (or rather, it seemed, down the stream near their home).  The Seftons were a little more apprehensive, requiring Amanda to assure them that Mystique was indeed a friend (family, even) and was welcome to join them all.

Finally, all the family had gathered around, including Rogue and Mystique, to admire the new life that had been brought into the world on the same day as Jesus Christ.  Kitty Pryde, one of the only non-family allowed to join them, had produced a camera and was happily snapping pictures of the families, the happy new parents, and of course the new little mutant girl.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

An hour or so later...

Kurt stood beside his wife as they walked down the hallway of the Institute to join the others, helping to support her and little Bluebelle.  Amanda may have recovered some of her strength but she was a little weak from childbirth, and Kurt didn't want her to push herself too hard.  Mystique and the other family had already rejoined the others in the living room, clustered around the tree on the various pieces of furniture strewn about the room.  It was there that the young family turned their steps.

It was somewhat late in the evening but most of the students were still up, as well as most of the teachers and residents of the Xavier Institute.  The youngest of the students, Gabi, Torpid and Dorian were outside waging snowball war against Danielle, Christina and Kevin.  The older students were inside, enjoying hot chocolate and marshmallows.  Rogue floated down gracefully from the tree, where she'd just placed the star atop.  She landed, of course, right into the arms of her waiting Cajun, who smiled up at her.  Scott and Jean stood nearby, their little bundle of joy Rachel Summers still in her mother's lap.  All immediately turned to all but swarm around Amanda and admire the newest little mutant at the Xavier Institute for Gifted Youngsters.  Logan alone did not partake in the holiday cheer, reading his newspaper on the windowsill as was his way.  Still, those who glanced his way when he wasn't looking noticed a quiet smile on his careworn face.

A sudden squeal drew the attention of everyone present.  It seemed that Bobby Drake was still up to his old tricks, as his girlfriend Darcy playfully smacked him in the stomach, shaking the ice out of her jacket.  The very ice he'd put there.  Kurt smiled at this.  Some things never change.  Tabitha, smashed on holiday liquor (which was kept out of the reach of the children) laughed at that.  Amara, more sober, helped keep the blonde standing before she stumbled and hit the ground.

Kitty and, surprisingly, Wanda, had managed to convince the Brotherhood boys to go out caroling, and they weren't there, but they'd sent their best wishes to Kurt and Amanda anyway.

Pretty soon the night wore on, the kids and elderly retired, and the others left to find other spots, while Kurt, Amanda and little Bluebelle rested comfortably on the couch before the fireplace.  Even Mystique had set off to speak with her daughter, and try to patch up a few things with her as well.

It was the Best Christmas Eve ever.

                                                                        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

**Author's Notes:**

And the introduction of precious little Bluebelle.  Ironically, the comic versions of Kurt and Amanda actually had this child.  Think a female Kurt who goes 'bimf' instead of 'bamf' when she teleports.  Heheh, Dr. McCoy.  Tell me that isn't funny with a straight face.  I know Hank McCoy isn't exactly a doctor but in the future I made him one.  I mean, how many normal doctors would've taken in Kurt and Amanda?  Not many, methinks.  Mystique showing up was a last minute idea, but I think it came off rather well.  And one big happy family reunion.  Nice, yes?  And yet more glimpses of the families and friends of the future ten years hence, celebrating the holidays.  Bobby's girlfriend Darcy is an OC from Kinomi's fic 'Melt Me.'  The kids outside playing in the snow were the new New Recruits in Weapon X24, including Leech (Dorian Leech), Husk (Paige Guthrie), Krystal (made her up based on someone I spotted briefly in TAS), Torpid (you know, the little Morlock girl), Blink (Gabi), and Mirage (Danielle Moonstar).  Also added Kevin.  Longtime fans of the comics and TAS likely know which mutant -that- refers to.

Desert-Rose6: Thanks.  Glad you think its cute, and hoped you like this last chapter.  If it didn't pull at your heart-strings, nothing will.

Gambi316: Well glad you like.  And yes, thank you again for the inspiration of the Romy part, as you put it.  Hope this chapter you enjoyed just as much.

Comet-hime: Well sorry but I try not to be too blatant about the femslashiness.  I leave that to you.  And Rahne's I wanted to keep simpler.  Hehe.

The Rogue Witch: Well my dad is from England and spent time in Australia, so I can do the accent pretty well, methinks.  But thanks for noticing all my hardwork.  And glad you like Kurt, Tabby's and Todd's gifts.

Elrohirthewriter: Glad you liked it, that was one of my fav too.  Linkin Park is my favorite group, and whenever I hear it I think of Wanda.  To season five, which would be the best gift we could recieve this holiday season!

Steven P.P: I confess part of the idea was inspired by Lesli's artwork, yes.  Comet-hime and I submitted three such works for that very contest (well, mostly her work.  I just colored).

Kinomi: Glad you think so.  Thanks for the grammar checking as always, hoped you enjoy the reference to your own brilliant work.

Taineyah: Well thank you Tainz, glad you enjoyed it.

Link: Wonderful!  Another fan of my work.

Snitter in Rivendell: Still got them fuzzy warm holiday feelings?  I only did one Evo character and that was for Betsy for coming back to us.  But glad you liked anyway.  Hopefully season five will exist at all, but yeah.  We need more Evo.


End file.
